American Crusade Against Lynching facts for kids

The American Crusade Against Lynching (ACAL) was a group started in 1946. It was led by Paul Robeson. The group worked to stop lynching in the United States. Lynching was when a mob would kill someone, often by hanging, without a fair trial. Robeson strongly supported the Civil Rights Movement. He believed that everyone, no matter their race, should be treated with respect. This idea led to the creation of the American Crusade Against Lynching.

What Was the American Crusade Against Lynching?

The American Crusade Against Lynching (ACAL) was a group that fought against unfair killings. These killings were often done by angry mobs. The ACAL wanted to make sure all people were safe and treated fairly. They believed everyone deserved respect and dignity.

How It Started

The ACAL was first talked about at a big meeting. This meeting was held in Madison Square Garden on September 12. The group officially started later in Washington D.C. on September 23, 1946. This date was important because it was the anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. That was the declaration that freed many enslaved people.

At first, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) did not support the ACAL. The NAACP was a major civil rights group. They saw the ACAL as a rival to their own efforts. However, W.E.B Du Bois, who helped start the NAACP, supported the ACAL. He joined Robeson in his fight. Du Bois said that fighting against mob violence was not just for one group. Ida B. Wells also used her writing to speak out against lynchings.

One important leader of the anti-lynching movement was Mary Burnett Talbert. She worked with a team of 15 people. They also had over 700 workers across the country. Their main goal was to "unite a million women" to stop lynchings. These women were both Black and white. Under Talbert's leadership, the group wrote a letter. This letter was fully supported by the National Council of Women.

Working for Change

Meeting the President

On September 23, 1946, Robeson and other ACAL members met with President Harry Truman. They wanted the president to speak out against lynching. They also asked him to create new laws to stop mob violence. President Truman said no to these requests. He felt it was not the right time politically. Robeson was very upset by this. He felt it was wrong that the U.S. government was fighting injustice in other countries, but not at home.

ACAL members also met with the US Attorney General Tom Clark. They met with leaders of the Democratic and Republican parties too. The group wanted a federal law against lynching. They also wanted lynchers to be arrested and punished. Another goal was to stop members of the Ku Klux Klan from joining Congress. The Ku Klux Klan was a racist group that used violence.

Important Supporters

Many famous people supported the ACAL. One of them was the brilliant scientist Albert Einstein. Other well-known supporters included Max Yergan, Joseph Curran, Canada Lee, Jack Kroll, Lena Horne, and Oscar Hammerstein II.

Government Concerns

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) watched groups that they thought might cause trouble. They had been concerned about some groups that supported civil rights. The FBI thought the ACAL was a "communist front." This meant they believed it was secretly controlled by communists. Because of this, Robeson and the ACAL were investigated by the FBI. The FBI even thought some members, like Albert Einstein, supported communist ideas. They kept files on these people.