dib20506 - News - U.S. Senate Apologizes to Victims of Lynchings

Fifty years after the Civil War, America embarked upon a course of racial separation that was reinforced by a long and bloody campaign of racial terror. One of the weapons of choice during that campaign was lynching, which involved torture, mutilation, hanging and often torching. Lynching in America was often a public affair designed to reinforced the brutal consequences of "stepping out of line" for the African American community and its sympathizers. From 1890 to 1960, over 4,700 Americans were documented as having been lynched. The actual number is believed to be much higher. While the violence served to force Black submission to Jim Crow laws and to inflict a sense of terror, fear, and humiliation upon African Americans, it was often conducted after allegations of a Black-on-White crime. Tragically, many of the crimes were perpetrated by Whites-on-Whites, but African Americans were often blamed because they were easier targets, and were rarely accorded a fair and balanced trial.

During this tragic 80 year period, nearly 200 anti-lynching bills were introduced to the United States Congress. Despite the passage of three anti-lynching bills by the United States House of Representatives, the United States Senate refused to adopt them. A total of seven American Presidents attempted to persuade to the Senate to end lynching, but Southern Senators blocked their efforts.

On Monday evening, June 13, 2005, the U.S. Senate attempted to atone for its sins by issuing a historic apology, (S. Res. 39), which was first proposed by two Southern Senators: Senators Mary L. Landrieu, D-Louisiana, and George Allen, R-Virginia. The two Senators were motivated to pursue an apology after reading the book Without Sanctuary: Lynching Photography in America, a pictorial history of lynching in America by James Allen.

In a release appearing on Senator Landrieu's web site, she is quoted as saying: "The impact of the pictures was overwhelming and proved to be a very educational and emotional experience for me. The more I learned about this terrorism in America, the more committed I became to doing something positive and passing this resolution. The Senate failed these Americans. If we truly want to move forward, we must admit that failure and learn from it."

In the same release, Senator Allen is quoted as saying, "Thankfully, justice in our nation has moved forward and left such despicable acts to history. But, this story can never be complete without an acknowledgement from this body that it failed to protect individual freedoms and rights. This apology is long overdue and I'm pleased the Senate will finally extend one to thousands of victims, their families, and ancestors."

Nearly 200 descendants of lynching victim's were invited to attend the Senate's historic evening session. Also in attendance was James Cameron, 91, the only known lynching survivor in America, and James H. Madison, a history professor at Indiana University who has long studied lynching and its impact on American society. "The tolerance so long shown to the lynching rope shames America's commitment to justice and equality," said Madison. "By acknowledging its failure to act in the past the Senate today is embracing our highest ideals."

Cameron's near-death experience at the hands of an angry mob is still chilling. In August of 1930, Cameron was arrested in Marion, Indiana and taken to a local jail along with two African American friends, Thomas Shipp and Abram Smith, for allegedly attacking a white couple. The attackers killed the man and reportedly raped the woman. An angry mob dragged Shipp and Smith from the prison and hung them in the public square. As the crowd prepared to hang Cameron, a voice shouted out declaring Cameron's innocence. Cameron credits God for answering his prayers and for speaking to the crowd that day. The crowd did not kill Cameron as they had intended, but the terror of that moment continues to haunt him.

"The apology is a good idea, but it still won't bring anyone back," said Cameron in the release on Senator Landrieu's site. He continued, "And I hope that the next time it won't take so long to admit our mistakes."

"An apology won't change Senate history," declared Senator Landrieu on her site. "But I sincerely hope that it will give us all an opportunity to re-examine our own mistakes, and the mistakes of other institutions, so together we can make our country a better place for all our children."

109th Congress - 1st Session

S. Res. 39

Apologizing to the victims of lynching and the descendants of those victims for the failure of the Senate to enact anti-lynching legislation.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

February 7, 2005

Ms. Landrieu (for herself, Mr. Allen, Mr. Levin, Mr. Frist, Mr. Reid, Mr. Allard, Mr. Akaka, Mr. Brownback, Mr. Bayh, Ms. Collins, Mr. Biden, Mr. Ensign, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Hagel, Mr. Corzine, Mr. Lugar, Mr. Dayton, Mr. McCain, Mr. Dodd, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Specter, Mr. Feingold, Mr. Stevens, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Talent, Mr. Harkin, Mr. Jeffords, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Kohl, Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Nelson of Florida, Mr. Pryor, and Mr. Schumer) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

RESOLUTION

Apologizing to the victims of lynching and the descendants of those victims for the failure of the Senate to enact anti-lynching legislation.

Whereas the crime of lynching succeeded slavery as the ultimate expression of racism in the United States following Reconstruction;

Whereas lynching was a widely acknowledged practice in the United States until the middle of the 20th century;

Whereas lynching was a crime that occurred throughout the United States, with documented incidents in all but 4 States;

Whereas at least 4,742 people, predominantly African-Americans, were reported lynched in the United States between 1882 and 1968;

Whereas 99 percent of all perpetrators of lynching escaped from punishment by State or local officials;

Whereas lynching prompted African-Americans to form the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and prompted members of B'nai B'rith to found the Anti-Defamation League;

Whereas nearly 200 anti-lynching bills were introduced in Congress during the first half of the 20th century;

Whereas, between 1890 and 1952, 7 Presidents petitioned Congress to end lynching;

Whereas, between 1920 and 1940, the House of Representatives passed 3 strong anti-lynching measures;

Whereas protection against lynching was the minimum and most basic of Federal responsibilities, and the Senate considered but failed to enact anti-lynching legislation despite repeated requests by civil rights groups, Presidents, and the House of Representatives to do so;

Whereas the recent publication of "Without Sanctuary: Lynching Photography in America" helped bring greater awareness and proper recognition of the victims of lynching;

Whereas only by coming to terms with history can the United States effectively champion human rights abroad; and

Whereas an apology offered in the spirit of true repentance moves the United States toward reconciliation and may become central to a new understanding, on which improved racial relations can be forged: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate -

(1) apologizes to the victims of lynching for the failure of the Senate to enact anti-lynching legislation;

(2) expresses the deepest sympathies and most solemn regrets of the Senate to the descendants of victims of lynching, the ancestors of whom are deprived of life, human dignity, and the constitutional protections accorded all citizens of the United States; and

(3) remembers the history of lynching, to ensure that these tragedies will be neither forgotten nor repeated.