Documentary Coming About Tchula’s First Black Mayor

TCHULA, Miss.–The first Black mayor of Tchula is the subject of a new documentary which is not quite finished, called “A Fight for Justice: The Political Lynching of Eddie J. Carthan and the Tchula 7”.

Carthan’s son is making the film and said in comments on a YouTube clip he was almost done. The clip included comments from Rep. Bennie Thomspon of Mississippi’s 2nd Congressional District.

“You have to understand the broader dynamics of Holmes County and the institutional racism that exists in a county that has more Black landowners than any county in the state,” said Thompson.

Carthan was elected mayor in 1977. Soon after he faced several charges, including capital murder. One of which he was convicted was assault on a police officer.

Carthan maintains he was framed and in 2015, after being elected supervisor in Holmes County, was ordered to pay back his salary because he was a convicted felon and could not hold office.