Eliza Woods was an African-American woman who was lynched on 19 August 1886 in Jackson, Tennessee, after being accused of poisoning and killing her employer, Jessie Woolen.
When it was found that Woolen's stomach contained arsenic and that Woods had a box of rat poison at home, it was concluded that she was responsible for the death.
[2] A crowd of 1,000 was reportedly present when Woods was dragged from the jail and hanged naked in front of the courthouse.
This lynching was notable both for the gender of the victim and the biracial participation of the crowd.
[4] In 2020, a plaque detailing the lynching was installed at the courthouse where Woods was hung.