US Senate on the East St. Louis Riots
Title
US Senate on the East St. Louis Riots
Creator
Journal of the Senate
Identifier
R071617
Date
1917 July 16
Description
US Senate discusses the events of the East. St. Louis Riots.
Source
Journal of the Senate of the United States of America 65th Congress: 1917 p. 188-9; D.C. Location, rm 203
Publisher
Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library
Subject
African-Americans--segregation
Language
English
Text
JOURNAL OF THE SENATE.
RECENT DISTURBANCES IN EAST ST. LOUIS, ILL.
Mr. Sherman submitted the following concurrent resolution for consideration:
Whereas citizens of the United States have recently been killed by mob violence in East St. Louis, Ill., in the circumstances and in such numbers as to show underlying conditions of national significance, and indicating such weaknesses and lack of protection to citizens of the United States as to warrant an examination by an authority sufficiently powerful, impartial, and comprehensive, to ascertain the causes thereof: Therefore be it
Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That a committee of 10, consisting of 5 Members of the Senate and 5 Members of the House, to be named by the presiding officers thereof, be appointed to investigate the mob violence and riots in East St. Louis, Ill., and the causes thereof, and make a report of the same to Congress; that such committee shall have power and is hereby authorized to issue process and enforce the attendance of witnesses, the production of papers and documents, and all evidence which may shed any light upon the cause, and to fix the responsibility for the deaths of such citizens of the United States as were the victims of mob violence. The expenses of such investigation to be paid out of the contingent funds of each House in an equal sum.
That such investigating committee be, and is hereby, instructed to cooperate with the Department of Justice of the United States or of any State, and supplement the efforts of any such department not only to ascertain the reasons for such outbreak and the persons responsible therefor, but to secure punishment for those liable to criminal prosecution...
RECENT DISTURBANCES IN EAST ST. LOUIS, ILL.
On motion by Mr. Sherman,
The Senate proceeded to consider the concurrent resolution submitted by him on July 12 (calendar day, July 14), 1918, authorizing the appointment of a joint committee to investigate the causes of the recent riots in East St. Louis, Ill., and to report thereon.
After debate,
Ordered, That the resolution be referred to the Committee to Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses of the Senate...
RECENT DISTURBANCES IN EAST ST. LOUIS, ILL.
Mr. Sherman submitted the following concurrent resolution for consideration:
Whereas citizens of the United States have recently been killed by mob violence in East St. Louis, Ill., in the circumstances and in such numbers as to show underlying conditions of national significance, and indicating such weaknesses and lack of protection to citizens of the United States as to warrant an examination by an authority sufficiently powerful, impartial, and comprehensive, to ascertain the causes thereof: Therefore be it
Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That a committee of 10, consisting of 5 Members of the Senate and 5 Members of the House, to be named by the presiding officers thereof, be appointed to investigate the mob violence and riots in East St. Louis, Ill., and the causes thereof, and make a report of the same to Congress; that such committee shall have power and is hereby authorized to issue process and enforce the attendance of witnesses, the production of papers and documents, and all evidence which may shed any light upon the cause, and to fix the responsibility for the deaths of such citizens of the United States as were the victims of mob violence. The expenses of such investigation to be paid out of the contingent funds of each House in an equal sum.
That such investigating committee be, and is hereby, instructed to cooperate with the Department of Justice of the United States or of any State, and supplement the efforts of any such department not only to ascertain the reasons for such outbreak and the persons responsible therefor, but to secure punishment for those liable to criminal prosecution...
RECENT DISTURBANCES IN EAST ST. LOUIS, ILL.
On motion by Mr. Sherman,
The Senate proceeded to consider the concurrent resolution submitted by him on July 12 (calendar day, July 14), 1918, authorizing the appointment of a joint committee to investigate the causes of the recent riots in East St. Louis, Ill., and to report thereon.
After debate,
Ordered, That the resolution be referred to the Committee to Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses of the Senate...
Original Format
Senate Testimony
Files
Collection
Citation
Journal of the Senate, “US Senate on the East St. Louis Riots,” 1917 July 16, R071617, Race and Segregation Collection, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.