This video showcases Fiddlin’ John Carson’s 1925 recording of "The Grave of Little Mary Phagan," a country ballad about the 1913 murder of 13-year-old Mary Phagan in Atlanta. Recorded on December 30, 1925, in New York for OKeh Records, paired with "All Alone By The Sea Side," the song builds on Carson’s earlier compositions, performed since 1915. Carson narrates Phagan’s **** and murder at the National Pencil Company, her body found in the basement, and Leo Frank’s conviction, based on forensic evidence—blood and hair—and Jim Conley’s testimony. The lyrics reflect the era’s antisemitic bias, portraying Frank as guilty, ignoring later evidence like Alonzo Mann’s 1982 affidavit implicating Conley. The video notes Frank’s 1915 lynching by the Knights of Mary Phagan after his sentence commutation, which also spurred the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) founding. Preserved on platforms like Spotify, the song highlights early country music’s influence on public opinion. As of May 21, 2025, the case remains contentious, with the Georgia Innocence Project advocating for Frank’s exoneration, opposed by Phagan’s family. X discussions show division, with some citing Mann’s affidavit, while others support the trial’s verdict. The video frames the ballad as a historical artifact of justice and prejudice debates.
