Lynching, 1921-1964
Scope and Contents
Lynching files contain reporting, research, and other documentation of lynching, primarily in the United States. Reporting on specific incidents contemporary to the time is found between 1926 and 1960, mainly in the form of clippings, full newspaper pages, and photographs. Some writings, notes, and correspondence pertaining to specific cases are also found. Files on lynching cases contain coverage of the incidents and their aftermath, such as investigations, trials, and public debate. Retrospective reporting on earlier incidents is also found. Other types of documentation include photographs of anti-lynching organizing, statitical reports, studies, editorials, and documentation of efforts to pass anti-lynching legislation between 1921 and 1949. Lynching studies and statistics contain summary information compiled by various persons and organizations, including Tuskegee Institute, the International Labor Defense, and the NAACP. Lynching legislation files contain documentation of efforts to pass anti-lynching legislation, both federal and state, as well as documentation of elected officials' voting records, and advocacy by AFRO staff and by other parties, such as the NAACP.
Extent
174 folders
26 oversize and legal-size folders
Dates
- Creation: 1921-1964
Condition Note
Full pages of newspapers from lynching cases files, for Maryland cases and Georgia cases, contain newspapers in fragile and sometimes torn condition. Access to original materials may be limited.
Arrangement
Most of the morgue material on lynching is arranged in two main categories, Lynching Cases, and Lynching Legislation. Files documenting Lynching Cases are arranged by state. Specific lynching cases with a large volume of documents are arranged in their own folders. The lynching legislation files for federal legislation are arranged chronologically by congressional term, and state legislation by state, following the original order of the series. Additional material documenting lynchings is found elsewhere in the morgue collection, filed under the names of victims and others involved in incidents, subsequent trials, or political activity.
Processing Information
Lynching files have been processed using detailed processing procedures. All the information in the finding aid has been verified against folder content, dates and document types have been added, and more detailed arrangement and description work has been performed.
In files on lynching cases, names of victims are listed in the scope and content note for that folder, along with the locality and year of the incident. Unnamed victims are listed with location and date, and victims of attempted lynchings are also listed when named. When many documents are found for a specific victim, they are arranged in a separate folder with the victim's name in the folder title. Content warnings have been added to folder records where photographs of lynching victims are filed, or clippings with particularly graphic headlines, and such items are encapsulated within the main folders to allow researchers to choose whether or not to engage with this content.
The lynching legislation files appear to have been originally compiled around 1941, when correspondence is found between an AFRO librarian and a Congressional Research Service librarian. A 1939 report created by the Congressional Research Service is found, which may serve as an index to the content of these files.
Original Location
HL0301, HAL 018; TN0204, TUB 025; TN0204, TUB 025; TN0606, TUB 105; TN0606, TUB 105; TN0606, TUB 105; WY0706, GFM 015; WY0706, GFM 015
Repository Details
Part of the AFRO American Newspapers Archives Repository