Defeat of federal attempts at anti-lynching legislation Flashcards
NAACP
- Spearheaded the campaign to end lynching in the 1930s (formed in 1909)
- As well as the ASWPL (Association of Southern Women for Prevention of Lynching) - established in 1930
How did lynching contravene 2 key aspects of the US Constitution
- Right to life
- Right to due process of law under the 5th Amendment
When did lynching begin to increase
- Had been a feature of life in USA since its creation
- Began to increase in the years after 1882
How many victims of lynching between 1882 and 1932
4,608 victims of lynching between 1882 and 1932
- More than 7/10 were black Americans
Highest annual lynching figure
- 1892 - 230
Steady decrease in lynching victims in 20th century
- Dropping below double figures for the first time in 1932
Lynching when FDR became president
- 1933 - first year of FDR’s administration - number of lynchings rose to 28, with rise possibly aggravated by the economic turmoil of the Depression
Attempts to declare lynching a criminal offence before 1933
1922:
- Dyer bill - introduced to Congress but failed to pass
Attempts to declare lynching criminal offence in 1930s
- Several further attempts made - cultivated in the Gavagan bill
- Passed the House of Representatives in 1937
- Failed to become law - defeated in Senate - filibuster led by Southern Democrats
Filibuster
- Deliberate use of extensive speech-making to prevent a vote on a proposal in Senate
- Policy of complete freedom of speech - Senator can speak on any topic for as long as they like
- Don’t have to limit their speech to the topic of debate
- Vote can’t take place until all senators have had their say
- Used extensively by Southern Democrat senators to prevent voters on civil rights issues
Occasionally - beds brought into Senate chamber - so southern senators could speak in relays for days on end
- If vote hasn’t taken place by end of session - has to be reintroduced at further date
Attempts, before 1933, in the southern states to campaign against lynching
- A Commission of Interracial Cooperation (CIC) had been created in 1919 - to promote better interracial relations (and, crucially, to bring end to lynching)
- CIC’s study - ‘The Tragedy of Lynching - by Arthur Raper, published 1933
- Offered new opportunity, as FDR’s govt promised social + economic transformation of USA
- NAACP - saw issue of introducing an anti-lynching law - and ending major denial of black American civil rights as way of raising funds for for organisation
Proposed 2 anti-lynching bills in 1933
FDR’s reluctance to deal w/ lynching
- Presidential message to Congress - Jan 1934 - made no proposal for federal anti-lynching law
- May 1934 - told secretary of NAACP - Walter White - he was unwilling to challenge power of southern Democrat congressmen + senators
- Feared an anti-lynching law would alienate them - said he needed support for other New Deal legislation - to provide work + social welfare for poor and unemployed Americans - including AAs.
1933-41 - FDR remained silent in public on lynching
Walter White
1893-1955:
- One of most important civil rights leaders for first 1/2 of 20th century
- Executive secretary of NAACP from 1931 - spearheaded effort to achieve political, economic and social rights for AAs
- Black American ancestry
- Founded Atlanta branch of NAACP - then became assistant secretary for organisation’s national staff in 1918
- Led fight for anti-lynching legislation
- During tenure - NAACP launched major legal campaigns to end white primaries, poll taxes and segregated housing + education
- Delegate to 2nd Pan-African Congress in 1921 + member of the Advisory Council for the Govt of the Virgin Islands in 1934-35
- Adviser to USA delegation at founding conference of UN
Why doesn’t lack of presidential support not fully explain Roosevelt’s failure to address key aspects of race relations like lynching?
- Southern opposition - primarily in Senate - that prevented legislation from passing
- Towards late 1933 - NAACP had recruited 2 leading Liberal Democrat senators to support anti-lynching proposal
- Robert Wagner of NY and Edward Costigan of Colorado
- Jan 1934 - Costigan anti-lynching bill
Costigan anti-lynching bill
- Jan 1934
- Main provision to punish state govt officials who failed to apprehend mob engaged in lynching
- Would face a $5,000 fine and/or five-year gaol term
- If found guilty of lynching or attempted lynching - the victim or their family would receive $10,000
Went to Senate Judiciary Committee (dominated by northern Dems - submitted it for debate
- Faced 2-month filibuster
