12262 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE June 13, 2005 about one of this institution’s great honor the legacy of these victims by Whereas lynching was a crime that oc- failures—its shameful refusal to enact continuing to confront the challenges curred throughout the United States, with antilynching legislation in the first in civil rights before us in enacting leg- documented incidents in all but 4 States; half of the 20th century. islation that will protect, for example, Whereas at least 4,742 people, predomi- nantly African-Americans, were reported Today, one of the saddest chapters in voting rights and improve the lives of lynched in the United States between 1882 our Chamber’s history will come to a so many Americans. and 1968; close when we apologize for the Sen- First, I encourage my colleagues on Whereas 99 percent of all perpetrators of ate’s inaction. I join my colleagues in both sides of the aisle to stand strong lynching escaped from punishment by State apologizing to the deceased victims of in support of reauthorizing the Voting or local officials; lynchings and their surviving loved Rights Act. Whereas lynching prompted African-Amer- ones. I pray this Chamber will never Second, disparities between African icans to form the National Association for fail to see this injustice that was done. Americans and Whites in health care the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and prompted members of B’nai B’rith to We must realize and understand what and education are still too great. I en- found the Anti-Defamation League; it was. It was an injustice. courage this body to support legisla- Whereas nearly 200 anti-lynching bills were While the exact number is impossible tion that will improve health care introduced in Congress during the first half to determine, records indicate that among African Americans, improve of the 20th century; since 1882—the best records we have— educational resources, and provide op- Whereas, between 1890 and 1952, 7 Presi- 4,749 individuals have died from lynch- portunities for African Americans in dents petitioned Congress to end lynching; ing, men and women, mostly men, and many different avenues. Whereas, between 1920 and 1940, the House most of them by far African Ameri- Finally, I ask the families of the vic- of Representatives passed 3 strong anti- cans. These Americans were killed, tor- tims of these terrible crimes to accept lynching measures; Whereas protection against lynching was tured, mutilated, and maimed with the Senate’s apology, and I pray that the minimum and most basic of Federal re- near impunity. Most were denied due my colleagues will act positively on sponsibilities, and the Senate considered but process under the law, and their killers upcoming legislation to honor the failed to enact anti-lynching legislation de- rarely—very rarely—faced con- souls of those passed and that they spite repeated requests by civil rights sequences for their actions, as indi- may finally rest in peace. groups, Presidents, and the House of Rep- cated by the prayer offered today by Mr. President, I yield the floor and resentatives to do so; our Chaplain which indicated little less suggest the absence of a quorum. Whereas the recent publication of ‘‘With- than 1 percent who saw some retribu- The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- out Sanctuary: Lynching Photography in America’’ helped bring greater awareness tion in the courts. The Senate’s inac- pore. The clerk will call the roll. and proper recognition of the victims of tion helped create a culture of accept- The bill clerk proceeded to call the lynching; ance toward these heinous crimes roll. Whereas only by coming to terms with his- against humanity. Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I ask tory can the United States effectively cham- Photos from this book—‘‘Without unanimous consent that the order for pion human rights abroad; and Sanctuary’’ is the name of the book—a the quorum call be rescinded. Whereas an apology offered in the spirit of book of lynchings that occurred in The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. true repentance moves the United States to- America, and it is depicted in photo- CHAFEE). Without objection, it is so or- ward reconciliation and may become central to a new understanding, on which improved graphs—photographs that are so hard dered. Ms. LANDRIEU. I ask unanimous racial relations can be forged: Now, there- to accept—is the principal reason we fore, be it are here today, this one book. consent that the debate time on the Resolved, That the Senate— This book shows men, women, chil- Griffith nomination be yielded back (1) apologizes to the victims of lynching for dren donning their finest clothing and and the Senate proceed to legislative the failure of the Senate to enact anti-lynch- gleefully posing in front of deceased session in order to consider S. Res. 39. ing legislation; people who had been hanged and, prior The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without (2) expresses the deepest sympathies and to being hanged, often mutilated. Even objection, it is so ordered. most solemn regrets of the Senate to the de- scendants of victims of lynching, the ances- worse, many photos were turned into f tors of whom were deprived of life, human postcards, until 1908, when the Senate LEGISLATIVE SESSION dignity, and the constitutional protections at least amended U.S. Postal Service accorded all citizens of the United States; regulations to forbid the mailing of The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under and lynching photographs made into post- the previous order, the Senate will now (3) remembers the history of lynching, to cards. Think about that. return to legislative session. ensure that these tragedies will be neither American history is rich with stories f forgotten nor repeated. of heroes and heroines, as well as patri- APOLOGIZING TO LYNCHING VIC- Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, to- ots, of patriotism. However, the lynch- TIMS AND THEIR DESCENDANTS night this body will take an important ing of so many Americans will always and extraordinary step. The Senate be a stain on our great democracy. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The will, belatedly but most sincerely, Only after passage of time, only after clerk will report the resolution by issue a formal apology to the victims growing pressure from civil rights or- title. of lynching and their families, some of The bill clerk read as follows: ganizations, only after over 200 whom are with us tonight in this antilynching bills, condemnation by A resolution (S. Res. 39) apologizing to the Chamber, for its failure to pass foreign nations, petitions from seven victims of lynching and the descendants of antilynching legislation. those victims for the failure of the Senate to U.S. Presidents, and outcries from the enact anti-lynching legislation. Without question, there have been African-American press and some other grave injustices committed in Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I ask mainstream publications did the occur- the noble exercise of establishing this unanimous consent that the clerk pro- rence of this horrible act decline. But great democracy. Some have already ceed with the reading of the resolution. this book, published in 2000, is the real been acknowledged and addressed by The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without reason we are moving today. this and previous Congresses, and our objection, it is so ordered. It is my sincere hope that the rel- work continues. However, there may be The bill clerk read as follows: atives of the victims of these horrible no other injustice in American history acts will accept this body’s sincere Whereas the crime of lynching succeeded for which the Senate so uniquely bears slavery as the ultimate expression of racism responsibility. In refusing to take up apology and take solace in the Senate in the United States following Reconstruc- finally recognizing its shortcomings. tion; legislation passed by the House of Rep- It is also my sincere hope that the Whereas lynching was a widely acknowl- resentatives on three separate occa- Senate does not stop with its apologies. edged practice in the United States until the sions and requested by seven Presi- There is much more to be done. We can middle of the 20th century; dents from William Henry Harrison to VerDate Sep 11 2014 10:11 Feb 02, 2017 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00069 Fmt 0686 Sfmt 0634 E:\FDSYS\2005BOUNDRECORD\BOOK9\NO_SSN\BR13JN05.DAT BR13JN05 ejoyner on DSK30MW082PROD with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 13, 2005 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE 12263 Harry Truman, the Senate engaged in a not been completely told, and it needs a tree limb. The mob would keep him different kind of culpability. to be told tonight and every day into there in that position until he almost Beginning in 1881, this tragic phe- the future. died then lower him again to begin the nomenon of domestic terrorism was As you can see, there are children torment all over. documented in large measure through gathered here. These are children look- After several hours, and I guess the the groundbreaking and heroic efforts ing up at this man hanging from a tree. crowd exhausted themselves, they just of Ida B. Wells-Barnett and the inde- History will record that some of these decided to kill him. His body was then pendent newspapers and publications. children were let out of Sunday schools dragged by car back to Marianna, and From that year until 1964, 4,742 Amer- to attend the lynchings. History will 7,000 people from 11 States were there ican citizens were lynched. These are record that some businesses closed to see his body in the courthouse of the the recorded numbers. Historians esti- down so that the whole town could at- town square.