On March 17, 1888, the Pennsylvania newspaper The Mercury published an exposé on an urban legend that wasn’t a legend at all. The article "LEATHER FROM HUMAN SKIN" exposed a horrific but short-lived practice that victimized Black people.
In cities like Philadelphia, white residents would use the skin of Black people to make shoes, slippers, cigar cases, and more. What was even worse was the pride that people took in wearing and using these items.
An unnamed but prominent Philadelphia physician interviewed by The Mercury insisted that "the tanned hide of an African makes the most enduring and the most pliable leather known to man."
Researchers do not believe that this demonic practice was widespread or even lasted long; however, the fact that not only were enslaved people worked like animals but also skinned like them is shocking.
White supremacy will often show its hatred of Blackness in the most odious ways. It should go without saying that people should not be turned into leather. This sick practice shows how evil white supremacy can be.