3.1.1
The Democrat Party & the Anti-Lynching Bill
The Democrat Party & the Anti-Lynching Bill
The Democrat Party & the Anti-Lynching Bill
In the 1930s and 1940s, due to the Great Depression, the advancement of Civil Rights was largely ignored by both Republicans and Democrats. Many black people felt that the Republican Party was just as useless in helping them as the Democrat Party.
Southern voters
Southern voters
- White people in the South mainly voted for the Democrat party and were keen to keep the authority that they had over black people.
- This meant that Democratic senators and representatives often remained in power for a very long time.
- It also meant that they held considerable power within government.
- Democrats controlled many key committees and were chairmen of powerful organisations.
Anti-Lynching Bill
Anti-Lynching Bill
- Democrat politicians could easily block any legislation that may benefit black people.
- An example of this was the continual block of the Anti-Lynching Bill of the 1920s.
- The cause of Anti-Lynching was taken up by a Republican Representative Leonidas Dyer, who agreed with the NAACP that the Anti Lynching Bill should be passed.
- Between 1901 and 1929, 1200 black people were lynched and the NAACP campaigned vigorously for an end to this practice. Yet, no bill was ever passed.
Failure to pass the bill
Failure to pass the bill
- The bill could never be passed because members of the government kept walking out.
- The constitution stated that there had to be a minimum number of people present (quorum) in order for a debate to take place.
- Many attempts were made to pass this bill, known by 1922 as the Dryer Bill, but the bill was rejected every time.
Reduction in numbers of lynchings
Reduction in numbers of lynchings
- The only positive that could be taken from this monumental failure of justice was that incidents of lynchings did start to decline, possibly due to the publicity the bill received.
- In 2005 the US Senate apologised formally for their actions at this time.
1‘Free at Last’ 1865-77
1.1The Thirteenth Amendment
1.2Radical Reconstruction, 1867-77
2The Triumph of ‘Jim Crow’ 1883-c1890
2.1Jim Crow Laws & Civil Rights Cases
3The New Deal and Race Relations, 1933–41
3.1Failure to Address Black Grievances
3.2The New Deal
3.3The Second World War
4‘I have a dream’, 1954–68
4.1Civil Rights Activities, 1954–63
4.2Civil Rights 1964-68
4.3Malcolm X & The Black Panthers
5Obama's Campaign for the Presidency, 2004–09
5.1The Late 20th Century
5.2Barack Obama & his Political Career
5.3Reasons for Obama's Victory
Jump to other topics
1‘Free at Last’ 1865-77
1.1The Thirteenth Amendment
1.2Radical Reconstruction, 1867-77
2The Triumph of ‘Jim Crow’ 1883-c1890
2.1Jim Crow Laws & Civil Rights Cases
3The New Deal and Race Relations, 1933–41
3.1Failure to Address Black Grievances
3.2The New Deal
3.3The Second World War
4‘I have a dream’, 1954–68
4.1Civil Rights Activities, 1954–63
4.2Civil Rights 1964-68
4.3Malcolm X & The Black Panthers
5Obama's Campaign for the Presidency, 2004–09
5.1The Late 20th Century
5.2Barack Obama & his Political Career
5.3Reasons for Obama's Victory
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