Southern White Women on Lynching and Mob Violence [pamphlet]

From front cover: "Excerpts from pronouncements of different Woman's State Committees on Race Relations"

Statements from Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia; followed by Resolutions from the Woman's General Committee, Commission on Interracial Co-operation.  

From back cover: "Organizations of Women Co-operating with The Commission on Interracial Co-operation 
Presbyterian Church (South) 
Episcopal Church (National) 
Methodist Episcopal Church 
Methodist Episcopal Church (South) 
Baptist Church (South) 
Disciples Church (National) 
Congregational Church (National) 
Y. W. C. A. (National) 
Woman's Clubs (By States) 
National Federation Colored Woman's Clubs" 


From pp. 3 - 4 (Georgia)
"We have a deep sense of appreciation for the chivalry of men who would give their lives for the purity and safety of the women of their own race, yet we feel constrained to declare our convictions concerning the methods sometimes employed in this supposed protection...we believe that 'no falser appeal can be made to Southern manhood than that mob-violence is necessary for the protection of womanhood,' or that the brutal practice of lyching and burning of human beings is an expression of chivalry. We believe that these methods are 'no protection to anything or anybody but that they jeopardize every right and every security that we possess."  

p.5 (Oklahoma) 
"We believe that the government should protect all citizens, regardless of class or color, and that life and property should be held sacred. 
We hold, therefore, that no circumstances can every justify such disregard of law and humand rights as in involved in the crime of lynching and other forms of mob violence, and that in no instance can this be regarded as an exhibition of chivalry. 
We pledge ourselves to efforts for creating in our citizenship a demand for full justice for the Negro; more consideration for his achievements; and less glaring publicity on crimes attributed to the race." 

p. 7
"RESOLVED, (1) That we deplore the failure of State Governments to handle this, the most conspicuous enemy to justice and righteousness, and the most flagrant violation of the Constitution of our great nation. 
(2) That we definitely set ourselves to the task of creating such sentiment as is possible to us in each State of our territory to the end that not only sufficient laws shall be enacted to enable the trusted officers of the law to discharge their full duty, but to secure the enforcement of the laws now in existance. 
(3)That this resolution be presented to all our co-operating organizations and State Committees in an effort to put into effect such plans as are necessary to secure a sustained effort on the part of our women to accomplishment of these ends." 

Founded in Atlanta in 1919, the CIC functioned as the major race reform organization in the South during the period between the world wars. While it never openly challenged segregation or advocated racial equality, it did strive for an end to racial violence and for better treatment for all classes of black men and women (Bridging the Gap: The Commission on Interracial Cooperation, 2009).