On June 27, 1900, Robert Davis was hanged in Mulberry, Florida. It occurred near a site known as the “Mulberry Hanging Tree,” which was associated with multiple lynchings in the early 20th century.
The incident occurred during the Jim Crow era, a time when extrajudicial killings were used to enforce racial segregation and control. Specific details regarding any charges or legal proceedings involving Davis are not documented.
At least six men were executed by hanging or shooting at or near the tree, with additional sites across Polk County where records indicate at least 21 men were killed.
The original Mulberry Hanging Tree no longer stands. It was removed in the late 1960s during the expansion of phosphate mining operations, which led to the relocation of the town’s center. Today, a historical marker near the Mulberry Phosphate Museum commemorates the tree and its significance to the town’s history.
