National Conference on Lynching facts for kids

The National Conference on Lynching was an important meeting held in Carnegie Hall in New York City in May 1919. Its main goal was to convince the U.S. Congress to pass a law called the Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill. This bill aimed to stop lynchings, which were violent and illegal killings, often targeting Black Americans. The conference was organized by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), a group founded to fight for equal rights.

The National Conference on Lynching

Why the Conference Was Held

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, many Black Americans faced severe violence, especially in the Southern United States. During this time, white-led governments in the South also took away the voting rights of African Americans. This meant Black citizens could not participate in politics. The NAACP was working hard to bring attention to these issues and end the violence. In April 1919, they released a report called Thirty Years of Lynching in the United States, 1889-1918. This report showed how serious the problem of lynching was.

Important Speakers and Their Messages

The conference featured several important speakers. The main speaker was Charles Evans Hughes. He had been a governor, a Secretary of State, and a Supreme Court Justice. Hughes told the audience that Black soldiers who showed bravery and loyalty during World War I deserved equal protection under the law when they returned home. He and other speakers believed in equal protection, even if they didn't fully support complete racial equality.

General John H. Sherburne also spoke. He commanded a group of Black artillery soldiers. He shared stories of their courage during the war.

The only African American to speak at the conference was James Weldon Johnson. He was a Field Secretary for the NAACP. Johnson wanted to make the white attendees feel uncomfortable about the injustice. He hoped this would push them to demand a federal law against lynching.

Other speakers included Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, who was a suffragist (someone who fought for women's right to vote). She explained how giving women the right to vote could help fight against lynching. Emmet O'Neal, a former Governor of Alabama, also spoke. He talked about how governors were responsible for making sure local police protected all citizens, both Black and white.

What Happened After the Conference

Right after the conference, a large public meeting was held in the same place. Moorfield Storey, the NAACP President and organizer of the conference, was the main speaker.

The conference didn't get as much national attention as its organizers hoped. It was mostly "preaching to the choir," meaning it spoke to people who already agreed with its goals. However, it did encourage African Americans to organize and fight for equal justice. The NAACP's membership grew a lot after the conference. In January 1918, the NAACP had 9,200 members. By May 1919, it had more than 62,000 members!

That summer, 1919, is known as Red Summer. This was because of the many outbreaks of racial violence in cities across the country. There were many social and economic problems after World War I. The government didn't have a good plan to help soldiers find jobs when they came home. This led to a lot of competition for jobs and housing in cities that were growing fast. Riots broke out where white groups attacked Black groups in cities like Omaha, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. But for the first time, Black people consistently fought back against these attacks.

The Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill

The Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill passed the House of Representatives in January 1922. However, it never became a law because it was blocked in the Senate. Senators from the Southern states used a tactic called a filibuster. This is a way to delay or prevent a vote on a bill.

Because Black Americans in the South had lost their voting rights, the Southern states mostly elected white Democrats. These politicians had a lot of power in Congress. They formed what was known as the Solid South. Many of them became leaders of important committees because they had been in Congress for a long time.

It wasn't until December 2018 that the Senate finally passed a law against lynching, called the Justice for Victims of Lynching Act. This bill passed with everyone agreeing. But the House of Representatives didn't take action, so that bill also did not become a law.