William Potter’s lynching is extremely graphic and is strongly issued as a trigger warning.

Located in Livermore, KY, William Potter was accused of shooting Clarence (Frank) Mitchell, a 22-year-old white man in a barroom.

On April 20th, 1911, a local sheriff was hiding him in the Whitaker Opera House and Skating Rink basement and a mob of 50 men demanded his release and strung him above the stage at the Opera House.

Over 100 armed men and boys filled the theater and riddled his body with bullets. Those who wanted to partake in this horrific lynching paid a fee in order to empty their rounds onto William Potter. All the money collected from this lynching was donated to Frank Mitchell’s family. Spectators recall his body hanging in shreds onstage.

Location of the Lynching

Location of the lynching of William Potter. Map created and developed by Hayden Hancock (2023).