Document 78 Papers as President: President's Personal Files

NlAf 'tAt U NAT[ONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE OFFICERS PRESIDENT ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE WALTER WHITE SECRETARY J. E. SPINGARN ROY WILKINS VICE-PRESIDENTS 69 FIFTH AVENUE, ASSISTANT SECRETARY HON, ARTHUR CAPPER TELEPHONE: ALGONQUIN 4-6548 WILLIAM PICKENS BISHOPJOHN A. GREGG FIELD SECRETARY REV. JOHN HAYNESHOLMES Dsy E. LAMPKIN JAMES WELDON JOHNSON Official Organ: The Crisis REGIONAL FIELD SECRETARY ARTHUR B. SPINGARN OSWALD GARRISON VILLARD C TREASURER MARY WHITE OVINGTON December 19, 19;4 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Baltimore A- Carl Murphy Boston Joseph Prince Loud Charleston Iv.Vs. My dear Mrs. Roosevelt: T. G. Nutter Chicago Jane Addas On thinking over my request of you of December lb Cleeland that you arrange an appointment with the PresianTWU-h7~== Hon. Harry E. Davis it occurs to me that I should have told you the purpose for Detrait Ion. Ira W. Jayne my request. It deals, of course, with the matter or lynching ion. Frank Murphy E*""oria' K". ana the Costigan-Wagner bill. William Allen White Now York illian A. Alexander In order to strengthen public sentiment behind the Rev. Hutchens C. Bishop Marion Cuthbert bill ana to give greater support to the President s unequi- Hubert T. Delany Rachel Davis Do Bls vocal position against lynching and Lor the enactment of Lewis S. Gannett Rev. John Haynes Holmes adequate legislation, we have, among other things, circulated James Weldon Johlnson Hion. Herbert HI. Lehman a memorial which we have asKed governors, the mayors of aoout James Marshall Lucy R. Mason two hundred cities, a select list of university and college Mary White Ovinaton Rev. A. Clayton Powell presidents, editors, churchmen, jurists and organization heads Arthur B. Spiugarn to sign. J1.E. Spingaru Charles H. Stdin William English Walling Dr. Louis T. Wright The response to requests for signatures has been Northosspos Mass. Dr. Wiliam Allan Neils"n truly remarkable. we have had signatures even from the mayors Orange, N. J. of southern cities and among the university presidents who Dr. Vernon F. Bunce Philadelaphi have affixed their signatures are Presidents Angell of Yale, Isadore Martin Riichmsond Amies of Johns Hopkins, Tigert or the University or Floridia, Maggie A. Walker Clothier of Rutgers, Comstock of sadolirfe, Gray of American, Topeka Hon. Arthur Capper McCracken of Vassar, McConnell of North jexas Teachers college, Sterling A. Brown Neilson of Smith, Pendleton or vellesley, Snavely of Birmingham- Nannie I. Burroughs Southern, Woolley Hon. James A. CoV or Mount Holyoke, Williams or the University A.ram . Harris Charles Edward Russell of Missouri, and many others. Ar WuBSingan NATIONAL LEGAL COMMITTEE ± wish you would advise me as to whether or not it Chasruces would be an imposition upon the President - ousy as he is now - Arthur Bi. Spiugarn Chicaao to receive a select delegation of not more than five persons on Clarence Darrow friday, December 28 or saturday, December Edward H. Morris 29, at which time Cas brig, Mass. this memorial may be presented to him. it is necessary that Charleston, W. Vs. it Ue presented to him prior Lo the opening of Congress, as T. G. Nutter you will note from the way in which it is phrased. I enclose ColWmsbia, S. C. N. FrederickH. copy or the memorial. The outstanding character or the signers New York Morris L. Ernst would give popular support, we believe, to whatever the tresi- James Marshall uent sees fit to recommend to Congress. Would you be good Herhert H1. Stockton Charles H. Studin enough to advise me frankly on Lfis as the Lime is quite short Pittaburgh, Pa. ior getting the delegation together. #ieplan asking one dis- Homer S& Brown Toledo, Ohio tinguihed churchman, one educator, one diotinguished woman, Jesse S. Heslip Washingctn, D. C. William H. Hastie Charles H. Houston Wllngiss.. Del. Louis L. Bedding

liow do your Senators and Congressmen stand on the Costigan-Wagner Anti-Lynching Bill?

ENDORSED BY THE NATIONAL INFORMATION BUREAU, 215 FOURTH AVENUE, NEW YORK

170 Mrs. sleanor Roosevelt - #2.

and, if possible, one outstanding southerner to make up the delegation.

Ever sincerely,

P. Secretary

The committee which has tentatively been selected to present the memorial to the President is as follows: l. Mrs. ffrederiuK Scott, member of the National Board or the Y.W.C.A., president, hiimona, Virginia L.W.C.A., convener for the southern region, National Board, X.W.C.A., and leader of southern opinion; 2. Dr. bamuel McCrea Cavert, secretary of the Federal Gouncii of Churches of Christ in America, or Bishop .ames Edward freeman of Washington; 3. Dr. .. S. Ames, President, Johns Hopkins University and signer of the memorial; 4. James Weldon rohnson, professor, Creative Literature, Fisk University; special lecturer, New York University; author, "Along This Way", "Negro Ameri- cans, What Now?", etc.; 5. Dean Charles H. Houston of Howard University.

None of these has as yet been asked as we wished to withhold invi- tations until we know first if the President will be able to receive the delegation, and the date and hour when the delegation will be re- ceived. If the President has no Mrs. objection, I should like also to be The White House present. I do hope very much that you Washington, D. C. will be able to be present. W. W.

WW:LB

171 MEMORIAL TO PRESIDENT FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT:

The killing and burning alive of human beings by mobs in the United States is a reproach upon our nation throughout the

civilized world. The recent shameless abduction of a prisoner, and transportation across the State line from Alabama to Florida

to be lynched, with the crime advertised throughout the nation twelve hours in advance, is a notorious example of the complete

breakdown of the machinery of justice which has grown out of the

lynching evil. Since 1882, 5,068 human beings have been lynched in

the United States, with less than a dozen convictions; in each of

these cases only nominal prison terms were given the lynchers.

During 1934 the total of lynchings has already reached the

alarming number of 18. While the Costigan-Wagner Anti-Lynching Bill

was pending in the Congress there was a complete cessation of lynch-

ing for a period of six months but since June, when Congress adjourn-

ed without voting on the Costigan-Wagner bill, 16 mob murders have

taken placo. We, the undersigned, urge respectfully that you as President of the United States in your opening address to the Congress place

the Costigan-Wagner Anti-Lynching Bill on your "must" program. Only

unequivocal action by yourself as the leader of American opinion

can overcome the objections even to a vote on the measure by a small

group in the Senate who prevented a vote during the last session of

Congress. In behalf of the good name of Anerica we respectfully

urge immediate action upon the convening of Congress to the end that

the Federal Government may give aid, as it has in the case of

kidnapping, to the State in stamping out this notorious American

crimes

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