Joseph Black was born in Wilson County, North Carolina, on January 1, 1862. He was the son of Joe Black and Beckie Mitchel, both born in Wilson County as well.

Black was a farmer in Greene County. In early April 1916, Black's son Will was accused of sexual assault by white citizens in Snow Hill. Black allegedly provided Will with firearms, which Will used during his attempts to flee the area. For his role in the affair, law enforcement arrested Black and transported him to the jail in Kinston.

In the early morning hours of April 5, a lynch mob broke the jail, abducted Black, and drove him back to Greene County where they murdered him. A subsequent investigation identified two men as participants in the murder but the case against only one—Samuel Stocks—was brought before a grand jury. The grand jury convened in November and ultimately returned a "not a true bill" ruling and the case was dismissed.