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Send the following message, subject to the terms on back hereof, which are hereby agreed to

98027

Form 2L

January 24, 1938

Hon. Franklin D. Roosevelt
The White House
Washington, D. C

DURING THESE WEEKS IN WHICH THE ANTILYNCHING BILL HAS BEEN PENDING IN THE SENATE NEGRO AMERICANS HAVE BEEN HOPEFULLY LISTENING FOR SOME PUBLIC STATEMENT FROM YOU IN BEHALF OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLE OF EQUAL PROTECTION OF THE LAWS FOR ALL CITIZENS AND AGAINST THE CRIME OF LYNCHING WHICH IS THE SHAME OF AMERICA BEFORE THE CIVILIZED WORLD. BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE IN SO MANY INSTANCES SPOKEN OUT CLEARLY AGAINST INJUSTICES, UNFAIRNESS AND DISCRIMINATIONS IN VARIOUS PHASES OF OUR NATIONAL LIFE NEGRO AMERICANS HAVE FELT THAT THEY HAD THE RIGHT TO EXPECT SOME WORD FROM YOU UPON THE DENIAL TO THEM OF THE BASIC RIGHT OF DUE PROCESS OF LAW IN MATTERS INVOLVING LIBERTY AND LIFE. THERE ARE SEVERAL PRECEDENTS FOR SUCH AN UTTERANCE ON THE PART OF THE PRESIDENT. ON JULY TWENTY SIXTH NINETEEN EIGHTEEN WOODROW WILSON SPOKE OUT DEFINITELY AGAINST LYNCHING WHICH HE TERMED QUOTE THIS DISGRACEFUL EVIL UNQUOTE. MAY YOU NOT YET, MISTER PRESIDENT, SPEAK A WORD WHICH WILL HEARTEN THE FORCES THAT ARE STRIVING TO RID AMERICA OF THIS BLACKEST BLOT UPON HER NAME AND SILENCE THOSE WHO ARE STRIVING TO DEFEAT THEIR EFFORT.

James Weldon Johnson