EPISODE 221: "The Resurrection Man": Grandison Harris

·44 min·4 clips

South Carolina has been the setting for over 350 years of horrendous crimes, some forgotten or swept under the rug.

This Carolina Crimes episode explores the 19th-century case of Grandison Harris, a man purchased by the Medical College of Georgia to procure cadavers for dissection. Host Matt Hires is joined by his mother, Paula Myers, for this special Mother's Day recording. The episode details Harris's unique and macabre role as a "resurrection man," or grave robber, for the medical school. Grandison Harris was bought by the college in 1852 specifically to supply anatomy specimens from Augusta's graveyards. His primary source was the Cedar Grove Cemetery, a burial ground for the city's Black and impoverished residents. Harris developed a systematic method for his work, using tools like a crowbar and a canvas sling to efficiently remove bodies. The episode notes he was paid a salary for this work, which was technically illegal but unofficially sanctioned. A key insight is that Harris's actions, while grisly, provided essential materials for medical education during a period of legal restriction. The hosts explain how resurrection men were a dark necessity for anatomical study before modern laws. The episode describes the fear and outrage his activities caused within the local Black community, who were the primary victims of these thefts. Surprisingly, after the Civil War and emancipation, Harris continued his work for the college as a paid employee. The narrative reveals that Harris lived on the college premises for decades, becoming a well-known local figure. His story presents a complex moral dilemma, intertwining themes of exploitation, survival, and medical progress. The hosts examine how his legacy is remembered within the history of the institution he served. The tone is conversational and educational, blending historical storytelling with casual discussion between host and guest. The style is narrative-driven, focusing on the details of Harris's life and the social context of his actions. Listeners interested in obscure historical true crime and the ethical complexities of medical history would find this episode compelling. Those seeking more contemporary cases or fast-paced investigative reporting might choose to skip it.

As heard by us

A grim medical-history episode follows an intelligent man forced into a faculty's hidden system.

Grandison Harris enters Carolina Crimes through a bleak reversal: the seven-member faculty of the Medical College of Georgia buys him for $700 because cadavers are scarce, then puts him to work.

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Why you'd press play

Want a Mother's Day true-crime episode where a $700 purchase turns into a grim Medical College of Georgia story?

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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