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Digital
History>eXplorations>Lynching>Anti-Lynching
Legislation of the 1920s>Letter from Mary Talbert to
Mary Ovington
Letter from Mary B. Talbert to Mary White Ovington (October 21,
1922)
Source:
NAACP Papers, Part 7: The Anti-Lynching Campaign, 1912-1955,
Series B: Anti-Lynching Legislative and Publicity Files, 1916-1955,
Library of Congress (Microfilm, Reel 3, Frame 289).
October
21st, 1922.
Mrs.
Mary White Ovington
70 Fifth Ave.,
New York.
Dear
Mrs. Ovington,
The
hour has come in America for every woman, white and black, to
save the name of her beloved country from shame by demanding that
the barbarous custom of lynching and burning at the stake be stopped
now and forever.
I
am firmly convinced that your help and co-operation is need at
this time. We are endeavoring to unite a million women of both
races to strive for the abolishment of lynching. Enclosed pamphlet
will tell you how and why the Anti-Lynching Crusaders formed.
Enclosed prayer will tell you how from the agony of our hearts,
we are asking your God and our God to lead us on in this crusade.
We are anxious that southern white women as well as northern white
women shall join us. We have already found a champion in the person
of Mrs. Juliette V. Harring, a southern white woman, who prevented
a lynching in her own state, Virginia. We are in communication,
now, with Mrs. Luke Johnson of Atlanta, Georgia, and we believe
that she will give us her support of her interracial committees.
We
believe that God answers prayer and we are going to pray every
day at noon during the months of October, November and December
for God’s help in this particular movement. We want to urge
upon white ministers to lift up their voices against this terrible
blot upon America’s civilization and we want you to pray
and work with us.
White
women know that no better group of women could be found than the
colored women during the perils of the Great World War and they
also know, that no better group of women could be found for loyalty
and support at any time our country, our state, our cities or
our families are in danger.
Will
you upon return mail send me your endorsement of this crusade,
which has already been endorsed by the executive Board of the
National Council of Women at its recent session, held in Des Moines,
Iowa, also by Miss Zona Gale, noted playwright and author, Mrs.
Nathaniel Harris, Honorary President of National Council of Jewish
Women, and many, many others, and thus permit us to give added
publicity with the hope of assisting American womanhood, determined
to stamp out lynching and mob violence?
We
are asking for your support and for your endorsement. We believe
that every Christian woman in America stands against lynching
and mob violence. The accompanying pamphlet will tell you that
eighty three women have been lynched in America, white women as
well as black women, and we are asking that you give your endorsement
to this country wide movement among the women to abolish this
great shame and danger to the nation.
This
is an independent movement of women, working for one particular
object to raise a fund to stop lynching, after which we will disband.
COLORED
WOMEN ARE SACRIFICING ALL NON-ESSENTIALS DURING THE FIRST WEEK
OF OCTOBER, NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER TO CONTRIBUTE TO THIS FUND to
be deposited in the Guaranty Trust Company of New York on account
tot he Anti-Lynching Crusaders. We hope to raise at least one
million of dollars, every cent of which will be used to provide
a legal defense fund. The success of this movement will mean the
raising of this amount of money to help us put over the Dyer Anti
Lynching Bill.
This
is the first time in the history of the colored women that they
have turned to their sister white organizations and asked for
moral and financial support and as we have never failed you in
any cause that has come to US, we do not believe that YOU will
fail us now. Gifts, donations raised, either by pledges or personal
donations, can be sent directly to the National Director, who
will turn this over to the Guaranty Trust Company, of New York
City who will handle this fund.
We
will gladly appreciate a letter from you that we may know that
you also wish to lend your support for the abolishment of this,
the greatest shame and danger to the nation.
Yours
for a better country with a fuller and truer meaning of democracy
for which black as well as white boys died during the world war,
I am
Sincerely
yours,
Mary
B. Talbert
NATIONAL
DIRECTOR
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