The NAACP Demands Protection 1919

John R. Shillady, secretary of the NAACP, sent this telegram demanding the rights of due process and equal protection guaranteed by the Constitution. He cites the hanging of John Hartfield, who was accused of assaulting a white woman. He was lynched on June 26, 1919 before a crowd of up to 10,000 people. The Governor claimed he was helpless to prevent the crime.

National Archives, Records of the U.S. Senate

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The NAACP Demands Protection