James Weldon Johnson to Woodrow Wilson
Title
James Weldon Johnson to Woodrow Wilson
Creator
Johnson, James Weldon, 1871-1938.
Identifier
TI00160
Date
1919 November 14
Description
Writing in regards to the execution of African Americans in Arkansas race riots.
Source
National Archives and Records Administration 230/06/41 file #158260 box #1284 NARA ID #7
Publisher
Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library
Subject
African-Americans--segregation
Language
English
Text
WESTERN UNION TELEGRAM
B 327 NY 241 CNT 2 COMMAS 1/70
SD NEW YORK NY 420P 14
MR WOODROW WILSON
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES WASHINGTON DC
THE ANTIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLODD PEOPLE IN THE NAME OF 12,000,000 NEGROES OF THE UNITED STATES RESPECTFULLY URGES THE DANGER TO AMERICA AND ITS IDEALS OF THE CONDITIONS PREVAILING IN PHILLIPS COUNTRY ARKANSAS ELEVEN NEROES HAVE BEEN SENTENCED TO ELECTROCUTION IN PHLLIPS COUNTY SIX OF THEM HAVING BEEN CONVICTED IN SEVEN MINUTES ACCORDING TO PRESS REPORTS BY A JURY F WHICH NO COLORED MAN WAS A MEMBER FIFTY FOUR NEGROES HAVE ACCORDING TO THE PRESS BEEN SENTENCED TO TERMS OF FROM ONE TO TWENTY ONE YEARS IN STATE PRISON NO WORD HAS COME OF PROCEEDINGS AGAINST WHITEMEN ALTHOUGH UPWARDS OF TWENTY FIVE NEGROES WERE KILLED IN THE DISTRUBANCES A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FO THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE VISITED THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE IN WASHINGTON ON SATURDAY NOVEMBER 1 AND PLACED IN THE HANDS OF MR G F RUCH OF THAT DEPARTMET INFORMATION GIVING GROUNDS FOR BELIEVE 1 THAT NOT ONLY HAD NO "MASSACRE OF WHITES" BEEN PLANNED BY. NEGROES OF PHILLIPS COUNTY BUT 2 - THAT THE NEGROES IN PHILLIPS AND ADJACENT COUNTIES AHVE BEEN MERCILESSLY EXPLOITED UNDER A SYSTEM VIRTUALLY OF PEONAGE AND 3 - THAT THE NEGROES HAD ORGANIZED NOT TO "MASSACRE WHITES" BUT TO OBTAIN LEGAL REDRESS BY PEACEFUL AND LAWFUL MEANS IF OUR INFORMATION IS CORRECT LEGALISED WHOLESALE MURDER IS BEING COMMITTED IN PHILLIPS COUNTY MAY WE THROUGH YOU REQUEST AN IMMEDIATE FEDEAL INVESTIGATION
JAMES WELDON JOHNSON.
B 327 NY 241 CNT 2 COMMAS 1/70
SD NEW YORK NY 420P 14
MR WOODROW WILSON
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES WASHINGTON DC
THE ANTIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLODD PEOPLE IN THE NAME OF 12,000,000 NEGROES OF THE UNITED STATES RESPECTFULLY URGES THE DANGER TO AMERICA AND ITS IDEALS OF THE CONDITIONS PREVAILING IN PHILLIPS COUNTRY ARKANSAS ELEVEN NEROES HAVE BEEN SENTENCED TO ELECTROCUTION IN PHLLIPS COUNTY SIX OF THEM HAVING BEEN CONVICTED IN SEVEN MINUTES ACCORDING TO PRESS REPORTS BY A JURY F WHICH NO COLORED MAN WAS A MEMBER FIFTY FOUR NEGROES HAVE ACCORDING TO THE PRESS BEEN SENTENCED TO TERMS OF FROM ONE TO TWENTY ONE YEARS IN STATE PRISON NO WORD HAS COME OF PROCEEDINGS AGAINST WHITEMEN ALTHOUGH UPWARDS OF TWENTY FIVE NEGROES WERE KILLED IN THE DISTRUBANCES A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FO THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE VISITED THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE IN WASHINGTON ON SATURDAY NOVEMBER 1 AND PLACED IN THE HANDS OF MR G F RUCH OF THAT DEPARTMET INFORMATION GIVING GROUNDS FOR BELIEVE 1 THAT NOT ONLY HAD NO "MASSACRE OF WHITES" BEEN PLANNED BY. NEGROES OF PHILLIPS COUNTY BUT 2 - THAT THE NEGROES IN PHILLIPS AND ADJACENT COUNTIES AHVE BEEN MERCILESSLY EXPLOITED UNDER A SYSTEM VIRTUALLY OF PEONAGE AND 3 - THAT THE NEGROES HAD ORGANIZED NOT TO "MASSACRE WHITES" BUT TO OBTAIN LEGAL REDRESS BY PEACEFUL AND LAWFUL MEANS IF OUR INFORMATION IS CORRECT LEGALISED WHOLESALE MURDER IS BEING COMMITTED IN PHILLIPS COUNTY MAY WE THROUGH YOU REQUEST AN IMMEDIATE FEDEAL INVESTIGATION
JAMES WELDON JOHNSON.
Files
Collection
Citation
Johnson, James Weldon, 1871-1938., “James Weldon Johnson to Woodrow Wilson,” 1919 November 14, TI00160, Race and Segregation Collection, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.