The Hanging of Big Mary: Someone Worth Remembering
February 2009

In 1916, an elephant named Big Mary was hanged in the state of Tennessee after killing her inexperienced keeper. She is the only known elephant to be executed by hanging in the history of circuses, and her story has intrigue, overreaction, fear, misguided humans, speculation, tragedy and more.

As time marches on, her death recedes even further into the dark reaches of American history and is now little more than a curious anecdotal footnote.

Elephant researcher and advocate Mike Jaynes writes in remembrance of Big Mary and other fallen and nearly forgotten performing elephants who died thousands of miles from their Asian jungle and African Savannah birthplaces.

The article, The Hanging of Big Mary: Someone Worth Remembering, tells Mary's story in detail and can be found here.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

	Boycott circuses with performing animals
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