While researching alligator bait for a different article, I came across a website that mentioned black babies being used as alligator bait in the early 1920s. Not only was I sickened by the thought, I was pissed.
I decided to search the U.S. newspaper archives to see what this alligator bait was all about and if there was any truth to it. I never expected this journey through the newspaper archives to take me where it did.
Adult Bait
This newspaper article was published in The Hope Pioneer, August, 27, 1886, and tells the sickening story of an adult black man being used to bait the alligators. [1]
Early References to Drowning
I found early newspaper accounts linking black children to alligator bait in reference to drowning. For example, this newspaper piece was published in the Daily Public Ledger, Maysville, Kentucky, in 1895.
However, anyone who became prey to an alligator was called alligator bait. For example, when an American woman in Paris was bitten by an alligator brought over from Florida in 1909, she was called alligator bait.
Also, in 1873, there was a newspaper report claiming that the favorite meal of the Alabama alligator was a fresh, new missionary. [1]
The Alligator Bait Photograph
“Alligator Bait” was the name of an ugly photograph taken back in the late 1800s. The photograph showed a row of naked, black babies sitting on the shore of a sandy bayou. It was considered “low art” at the time, but it was still placed in a Knoxville, Tennessee window with a prize offer for best name for the photograph. A worker from a local hardware store submitted the name “Alligator Bait” and won a few dollars for best title.
It was the name that boosted the photograph to instant fame across the U.S. [2]
Further Photographs
By 1899, “alligator bait” became the name of any photograph depicting undressed black children.
In one report from out of Savannah, Georgia, two New York photographers were arrested in the South for taking indecent pictures of black children. According to the report, “Judge Norwood said the black children pictures were immoral and in violation of the law. Lacking $100 ready cash [they were only fined $50 each for taking the photographs], Young and Hill went to jail for thirty days.” [3]
Chinese Girls Fed to Alligators
In an article published in 1900 about the cost of raising boys in the U.S., the subject of feeding Chinese girls to alligators was brought up. [4]
Babies Used as Bait
This is the earliest direct reference I could find mentioning black babies being used as alligator bait. This paragraph was published in The Washington Times, 1902. [5]
No Direct Reports
After spending several hours reading through old articles about alligator bait, I could not find a direct report detailing a specific person murdering black babies. However, after all that I found and realizing that this was a persistent rumor that had to have come from some point of origin, I do not doubt that there was at least one case of such disgusting barbarity in our unreported history.
I also believe that the term “alligator bait” was made popular due to the late 1800s photo depicting babies by the water. In fact, and almost unbelievably, by 1911, the phrase was considered a term of near endearment and was used in reference to black boys.
