Robert F. Wagner and the Anti-Lynching Bill

Articles and Reports

As a national leader in the fight to establish federal protections against lynching Wagner and his staff both collected, and were the recipients of numerous news clippings, articles, and reports from across the United States. As this collection spanning the years 1934 to 1940 reveals, the cause attracted contributors from a broad range of different professions. Journalists, lawyer, novelists, and filmmakers all employed their talents in different guises. Best-selling novelist Pearl Buck writes of the shame that she feels as an American overseas, while Helen Boardman reports in the NAACP’s The Crisis on the failure of the justice system to indict those responsible for the lynching of Norris Dendy in South Carolina. Elsewhere, newspaper columnists reflect on Fritz Lang’s Fury (1936), in which Spencer Tracy portrays the white victim of a lynch mob in a film designed to attract greater sympathy on the part of primarily white audiences.

Helen Boardman, “Grand Jury Adjourns: Laurens County Fails to Indict Dendy Lynchers”, The Crisis, May, 1934, 571-GF-333, 1933 – 1947, Box: GF 10, Folder: 3. 1933-1936. Anti-lynching correspondence of Walter White. Robert F. Wagner Papers: General Files, GTM-491023-GF. Georgetown University Manuscripts, Booth Family Center for Special Collections, Washington D.C. Helen Boardman writes about the South Carolina authorities’ complicity in the lynching of Norris Dendy for The Crisis Newspaper.

Ina Corrine Brown, “Hearings on the Wagner-Costigan Bill”, The World Outlook, April 1934, 481-LE-222, 1934 – 1934, Box: LE 43, Folder: 1439A. Robert F. Wagner Papers: Legislative Files, GTM-491023-LE. Georgetown University Manuscripts, Booth Family Center for Special Collections, Washington D.C. Ina Corrine Brown wrote this article going through the Costigan-Wagner Bill and the recent congressional testimonies on lynching. 1/2

Pearl S. Buck, “A Letter From Abroad”, Opportunity: Journal of Negro Life, April 1934, 481-LE-222, 1934 – 1934, Box: LE 43, Folder: 1439A. Robert F. Wagner Papers: Legislative Files, GTM-491023-LE. Georgetown University Manuscripts, Booth Family Center for Special Collections, Washington D.C. Missionary Pearl Buck writes to express her shame in being an American because of the issue of lynching. To her, it was a violation of the ideas of civilization. 1/2

Federal Council of the Churches in America, “I Have Always Been Proud to Be an American and Yet…” (New York: The Department of Race Relations Federal Council of the Churches in America, 1934), 481-LE-222, 1934 – 1934, Box: LE 43, Folder: 1439A. Robert F. Wagner Papers: Legislative Files, GTM-491023-LE. Georgetown University Manuscripts, Booth Family Center for Special Collections, Washington D.C. The Federal Council of the Churches in America created a pamphlet to educate people on the evils of lynching and the role of the church in aiding its destruction.

Robert F. Wagner, transcript of “PROGRAM BROADCAST OVER BLUE NETWORK NBC ON MONDAY APRIL 29, 1940 – 9:00 to 9:30 P.M. ON ANTI-LYNCHING BILL” April 29th, 1940, 571-GF-333, 1933 – 1947, Box: GF 10, Folder: 6 1939-1940. Race Matters: Correspondence press release. Robert F. Wagner Papers: General Files, GTM-491023-GF. Georgetown University Manuscripts, Booth Family Center for Special Collections, Washington D.C. 1/4

Walter White, Walter White to Robert F. Wagner, May 27th, 1936, 571-GF-333, 1933 – 1947, Box: GF 10, Folder: 3. 1933-1936. Anti-lynching correspondence of Walter White. Robert F. Wagner Papers: General Files, GTM-491023-GF. Georgetown University Manuscripts, Booth Family Center for Special Collections, Washington D.C. Walter White wrote to Robert F. Wagner for his thoughts about a potential screening of the movie “Fury” before Congress to show the reality of lynching. 1/5

White to Wagner. Fury. 4/5

White to Wagner. Fury. 5/5

Albert E. Barnett, “Summary Of Events Relating To Lynching Of Cordie Cheek”, 1933-1934, 481-LE-222, 1934 – 1934, Box: LE 43, Folder: 1439A. Robert F. Wagner Papers: Legislative Files, GTM-491023-LE. Georgetown University Manuscripts, Booth Family Center for Special Collections, Washington D.C. 1/5

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79IBgDWagIU

Source Information

Helen Boardman, “Grand Jury Adjourns: Laurens County Fails to Indict Dendy Lynchers”, The Crisis, May, 1934, 571-GF-333, 1933 – 1947, Box: GF 10, Folder: 3. 1933-1936. Anti-lynching correspondence of Walter White. Robert F. Wagner Papers: General Files, GTM-491023-GF. Georgetown University Manuscripts, Booth Family Center for Special Collections, Washington D.C.

Ina Corrine Brown, “Hearings on the Wagner-Costigan Bill”, The World Outlook, April 1934, 481-LE-222, 1934 – 1934, Box: LE 43, Folder: 1439A. Robert F. Wagner Papers: Legislative Files, GTM-491023-LE. Georgetown University Manuscripts, Booth Family Center for Special Collections, Washington D.C.

Pearl S. Buck, “A Letter From Abroad”, Opportunity: Journal of Negro Life, April 1934, 481-LE-222, 1934 – 1934, Box: LE 43, Folder: 1439A. Robert F. Wagner Papers: Legislative Files, GTM-491023-LE. Georgetown University Manuscripts, Booth Family Center for Special Collections, Washington D.C.

Federal Council of the Churches in America, “I Have Always Been Proud to Be an American and Yet…” (New York: The Department of Race Relations Federal Council of the Churches in America, 1934), 481-LE-222, 1934 – 1934, Box: LE 43, Folder: 1439A. Robert F. Wagner Papers: Legislative Files, GTM-491023-LE. Georgetown University Manuscripts, Booth Family Center for Special Collections, Washington D.C.

Robert F. Wagner, transcript of “PROGRAM BROADCAST OVER BLUE NETWORK NBC ON MONDAY APRIL 29, 1940 – 9:00 to 9:30 P.M. ON ANTI-LYNCHING BILL” April 29^th, 1940, 571-GF-333, 1933 – 1947, Box: GF 10, Folder: 6 1939-1940. Race Matters: Correspondence press release. Robert F. Wagner Papers: General Files, GTM-491023-GF. Georgetown University Manuscripts, Booth Family Center for Special Collections, Washington D.C. page 2-3.

Walter White, Walter White to Robert F. Wagner, May 27^th, 1936, 571-GF-333, 1933 – 1947, Box: GF 10, Folder: 3. 1933-1936. Anti-lynching correspondence of Walter White. Robert F. Wagner Papers: General Files, GTM-491023-GF. Georgetown University Manuscripts, Booth Family Center for Special Collections, Washington D.C.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to Robert F. Wagner, May 27^th, 1936, Walter White, Walter White to Robert F. Wagner, May 27^th, 1936, 571-GF-333, 1933 – 1947, Box: GF 10, Folder: 3. 1933-1936. Anti-lynching correspondence of Walter White. Robert F. Wagner Papers: General Files, GTM-491023-GF. Georgetown University Manuscripts, Booth Family Center for Special Collections, Washington D.C.

Howard Barnes, “One The Screen: Fury-Capitol”, New York Herald Tribune, June 6^th, 1936, 571-GF-333, 1933 – 1947, Box: GF 10, Folder: 3. 1933-1936. Anti-lynching correspondence of Walter White. Robert F. Wagner Papers: General Files, GTM-491023-GF. Georgetown University Manuscripts, Booth Family Center for Special Collections, Washington D.C.

Frank Nugent, “Fury A Dramatic Indictment of Lynch Law, Opens at the Capitol- Other New Pictures”, New York Times, June 6^th, 1936, 571-GF-333, 1933 – 1947, Box: GF 10, Folder: 3. 1933-1936. Anti-lynching correspondence of Walter White. Robert F. Wagner Papers: General Files, GTM-491023-GF. Georgetown University Manuscripts, Booth Family Center for Special Collections, Washington D.C.

Albert E. Barnett, “Summary Of Events Relating To Lynching Of Cordie Cheek”, 1933-1934, 481-LE-222, 1934 – 1934, Box: LE 43, Folder: 1439A. Robert F. Wagner Papers: Legislative Files, GTM-491023-LE. Georgetown University Manuscripts, Booth Family Center for Special Collections, Washington D.C.

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