Death to Lynchers! Petition
ca. 1946
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This petition, created by the organization American Youth for Democracy, was sent to President Harry Truman and Attorney General Tom Clark from people in New York. It urges them to take action against lynching and points out that these crimes against African Americans (in some cases WWII veterans) were being committed in both the North and the South.
Multiple copies of this petition were printed, signed, and sent to the Truman administration. It urges citizens to sign by saying: "When you sign this petition, you are helping to sign the death warrant for the Ku Klux Klan. ...[and joining a group of] people...who...insist that every inciter and perpetrator of...race-hate attacks...be brought to justice."
The petition calls out specific politicians; including Senator Theodore Bilbo of Mississippi, Georgia Governor Eugene Talmadge, and Representative John Rankin of Mississippi; and claims they were "openly [campaigning] for armed violence against all Negroes." It describes several lynchings, including some committed by police, and says that "This terror must be stopped."
It urges President Truman and Attorney General Clark to put lynchers on trial for murder, to outlaw the Ku Klux Klan, to impeach Senator Bilbo and arrest Governor Talmadge, and to call an emergency session of Congress to pass the Anti-Lynching Bill, the Anti-Polltax Bill, and a bill for a permanent and nationwide Fair Employment Practice Committee (FEPC) to prohibit discrimination in employment (the FEPC only banned discriminatory employment practices in the Federal Government).
Multiple copies of this petition were printed, signed, and sent to the Truman administration. It urges citizens to sign by saying: "When you sign this petition, you are helping to sign the death warrant for the Ku Klux Klan. ...[and joining a group of] people...who...insist that every inciter and perpetrator of...race-hate attacks...be brought to justice."
The petition calls out specific politicians; including Senator Theodore Bilbo of Mississippi, Georgia Governor Eugene Talmadge, and Representative John Rankin of Mississippi; and claims they were "openly [campaigning] for armed violence against all Negroes." It describes several lynchings, including some committed by police, and says that "This terror must be stopped."
It urges President Truman and Attorney General Clark to put lynchers on trial for murder, to outlaw the Ku Klux Klan, to impeach Senator Bilbo and arrest Governor Talmadge, and to call an emergency session of Congress to pass the Anti-Lynching Bill, the Anti-Polltax Bill, and a bill for a permanent and nationwide Fair Employment Practice Committee (FEPC) to prohibit discrimination in employment (the FEPC only banned discriminatory employment practices in the Federal Government).
This primary source comes from the Collection HST-WHPOMF: White House Public Opinion Mail Files (Truman Administration).
National Archives Identifier: 145807630
Full Citation: Death to Lynchers! Petition; ca. 1946; Civil Rights [2 of 3]; Public Opinion Mail Files, 1945 - 1953; Collection HST-WHPOMF: White House Public Opinion Mail Files (Truman Administration); Harry S. Truman Library, Independence, MO. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/death-to-lynchers, March 27, 2025]Rights: No Known Copyright Learn more on our privacy and legal page.
