Gavin Howe
Franklin D. Roosevelt never supported anti-lynching laws, despite his wife Eleanor Roosevelt's attempts to persuade him. FDR's lack of support for anti-lynching legislation has been attributed to his fear of losing the support of Southern Democrats for his New Deal legislation. He believed that Southern Democrats in the Senate would block his New Deal bills if he supported anti-lynching laws. Eleanor Roosevelt, on the other hand, was a strong supporter of civil rights and social justice for African Americans. She worked with the NAACP and its leader, Walter White, to outlaw lynching, despite facing death threats and criticism from racists.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Franklin D. Roosevelt's stance on anti-lynching laws | Roosevelt feared losing Southern support for his New Deal legislation and did not support anti-lynching laws |
| Number of failed attempts to pass anti-lynching laws before 2018 | 240 attempts since 1901 |
| First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt's stance on anti-lynching laws | Strong supporter of anti-lynching legislation |
| Number of lynchings between 1882 and 1968 | 4,743 |
| Percentage of black people killed in lynchings during the same period | Majority |
| Attempts to pass anti-lynching laws after FDR's death | Franklin D. Roosevelt, Jr. tried to pass anti-lynching laws several times in the 1950s |
| Last attempt to pass anti-lynching laws before 2018 | Mid-1960s |
| Year of the first federal anti-lynching bill | 2018 |
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What You'll Learn
Eleanor Roosevelt's anti-lynching campaign
Eleanor Roosevelt was a prominent supporter of anti-lynching legislation and a strong advocate for civil rights and social justice for African Americans. She believed that all injustices targeting African Americans, including lynchings, must be stopped. Her anti-lynching efforts were part of her broader commitment to fighting for those who could not defend themselves or who had no voice.
During her husband's presidency, Eleanor Roosevelt played a crucial role as a conduit between Franklin D. Roosevelt and the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP). She worked closely with NAACP leader Walter White to outlaw lynching and promote civil rights. In 1934, she arranged a private meeting at the White House between President Roosevelt, herself, and White, in an attempt to secure the President's support for the Costigan-Wagner anti-lynching bill. Despite her efforts, the President and his advisors opposed the bill due to concerns over alienating powerful Southern Democrats in the Senate, who were crucial for passing New Deal legislation.
Eleanor Roosevelt's support for the anti-lynching movement was met with significant backlash. She received death threats throughout her life, and in the 1950s, the Ku Klux Klan placed a $25,000 bounty on her head. Critics, such as J. Edgar Hoover, spread racist rumours that she was mixed race. Despite the risks, she continued her campaign for civil rights until her death in 1962.
Eleanor Roosevelt's anti-lynching efforts were ultimately unsuccessful during her lifetime. However, they represented a significant step towards addressing the injustices faced by African Americans. Her willingness to engage with the NAACP and her public support for anti-lynching legislation helped to boost the image of the administration among African Americans.
In conclusion, Eleanor Roosevelt's anti-lynching campaign reflected her unwavering commitment to civil rights and social justice for African Americans. Despite facing intense opposition and threats, she remained a courageous advocate for those who were marginalised and discriminated against. Her efforts laid the groundwork for future progress in the fight against racial injustice and helped to shape the administration's stance on racial issues.
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FDR's fear of losing Southern support
Franklin D. Roosevelt never supported anti-lynching laws for fear of alienating white Democratic voters in the South. The First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, was a strong supporter of anti-lynching legislation and worked with NAACP leader Walter White to outlaw lynching. However, FDR's advisors opposed supporting the bill, and he feared losing the support of Southern Democrats in the Senate, who held powerful senior positions and were needed to pass his New Deal legislation.
FDR's concerns about losing Southern support were not unfounded. The demographics of Republican and Democratic voters at the time were different from today. The Democratic Party's base in the South was made up of white southerners, while Catholics and immigrants in big industrial cities in the North and West also made up a significant portion of the party's supporters. This created an "awkward coalition" when it came to issues of race.
Southern Democrats in the Senate were already holding the New Deal hostage, refusing to move on New Deal issues unless the party backed off the anti-lynching bills. FDR knew that if he came out in support of anti-lynching legislation, Southern Democrats would block his New Deal bills. This fear of losing Southern support over his New Deal agenda was a significant factor in FDR's decision not to support anti-lynching laws.
The issue of lynching was highly controversial, and the anti-lynching movement faced strong opposition from Southern lawmakers. Even after FDR's death in 1945, attempts to pass anti-lynching legislation continued to fail due to resistance from Southern Congress members. It wasn't until 2018 that the U.S. Senate finally passed a federal anti-lynching bill, preceded by around 240 failed attempts since 1901.
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Southern Democrats' opposition
From the mid-19th century through the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Democratic Party's base in the South was predominantly made up of white southerners. Southern Democrats held powerful senior positions in both the House and the Senate, often controlling important committee chairmanships. This gave them substantial influence over legislation.
Southern Democrats opposed anti-lynching laws on several grounds. Firstly, they argued that lynchings were a response to rapes and other crimes, justifying them as a form of vigilante justice. They also claimed that lynching was a declining problem and that existing state laws were sufficient to address it. Additionally, they viewed federal anti-lynching legislation as an infringement on states' rights and a usurpation of powers by the federal government.
The Southern Democrats' intransigence prevented President Franklin D. Roosevelt from instituting wide-ranging civil rights legislation, including anti-lynching laws. Roosevelt feared losing the support of these powerful Southern Democrats for his New Deal legislation. He understood that their opposition could block his legislative agenda, and he was reluctant to take that risk.
The Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill, introduced in 1918 by Republican Congressman Leonidas C. Dyer, was a notable example of Southern Democrats' obstruction. The bill aimed to make lynching a federal crime, but it was repeatedly blocked by Southern Democrats in the Senate through filibusters and other tactics. Similar dynamics played out with subsequent anti-lynching bills, such as the Costigan-Wagner Bill in the 1930s.
It is important to note that the opposition to anti-lynching laws was not universal among Democrats. Some Northern Democrats and progressive members of the party supported civil rights and anti-lynching legislation. However, the Southern Democrats' power within the party and their control over Southern state legislatures made them a formidable force in blocking federal anti-lynching laws for many decades.
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NAACP's legal arguments
Between 1882 and 1968, the NAACP estimates that 4,743 lynchings occurred in the U.S., with the majority of those killed being black. The NAACP's legal arguments for anti-lynching laws focused on interpreting the Fourteenth Amendment broadly, so its provisions applied to the actions of the mob. They argued that the federal government had an obligation to help its citizens when individual states were unable or unwilling to do so.
The NAACP's anti-lynching campaigns took place between the World Wars, with the organization lobbying the federal government to enact anti-lynching legislation. The NAACP's first anti-lynching campaign in the 1920s focused on the Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill. In 1918, U.S. Representative Leonidas Dyer from Missouri introduced an anti-lynching bill, the first of many anti-lynching bills supported by the NAACP. The bill aimed to assure persons within the jurisdiction of every state of equal protection under the laws and to punish the crime of lynching. The bill defined "mob or riotous assemblage" as an assemblage composed of two or more people, and it outlined punishments for counties where lynching occurred, including fines and incarceration.
The NAACP, along with Dyer and other sympathetic Republican legislators, worked to pass the bill into law. The bill passed the House of Representatives and received a favorable report from the Senate Judiciary Committee. However, it was ultimately blocked by a Senate filibuster led by Southern Democrats. Despite this setback, the NAACP continued its anti-lynching campaigns and worked with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt during Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency to persuade the president to support anti-lynching legislation. Unfortunately, President Roosevelt did not support these efforts due to concerns about alienating Southern Democrats and losing their support for his New Deal legislation.
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The Costigan-Wagner anti-lynching bill
The bill received strong support from many members of Congress and anti-lynching campaigners, including First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, Mary McLeod Bethune, and Walter Francis White. Eleanor Roosevelt played a crucial role in advocating for the bill and reassuring the NAACP of the President's interest. She believed strongly that black lives mattered and fought for social justice for African Americans.
However, despite the efforts of its supporters, the Costigan-Wagner bill ultimately failed to pass. President Franklin D. Roosevelt refused to endorse the bill, fearing that it would alienate white Democratic voters in the South and cause him to lose the next election. The Southern Democrats in the Senate, who held powerful positions, opposed the bill and blocked any legislation that threatened their racist agenda. Roosevelt's advisors also opposed supporting the bill, and without the President's commitment, it never went to the floor of the Senate for a vote.
The failure of the Costigan-Wagner bill highlighted the political challenges and racial tensions of the time. It demonstrated the reluctance of President Roosevelt to address lynching at the federal level, despite his personal opposition to it. The bill's defeat was a setback in the anti-lynching movement, but it also brought greater national attention to the issue of extrajudicial lynchings and the need for legislative reform.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Franklin D. Roosevelt opposed anti-lynching laws.
FDR opposed anti-lynching laws for fear of alienating white Democratic voters in the south and losing their support for his New Deal legislation.
Eleanor Roosevelt was a strong supporter of anti-lynching legislation and campaigned for civil rights until she died in 1962.
In December 2018, the US Senate passed a federal anti-lynching bill for the first time. This milestone was preceded by at least 240 failed attempts since 1901.
