Senate passes Emmett Till Antilynching Act of 2022
Source: CNN
The Senate passed the Emmett Till Antilynching Act of 2022 on Monday night by unanimous consent. The bill, which would make lynching a federal hate crime, now heads to President Joe Biden's desk for his signature.
The legislation was approved by the House of Representatives last week by a vote of 422-3. Passage of the bill is a long-sought goal of advocates, who have been working for years to secure its approval in Congress.
"After more than 200 failed attempts to outlaw lynching, Congress is finally succeeding in taking the long overdue action by passing the Emmett Till Antilynching Act. Hallelujah. It's long overdue," said Majority Leader Chuck Schumer in remarks on the Senate floor after the bill's passage.
That it took so long to pass is a "bitter stain" on America, the New York Democrat added.
Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/senate-passes-emmett-till-antilynching-act-of-2022/ar-AAUL1mE?li=BBnbfcQ
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Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill
Early in the 20th century, mob lynchings were all too common, particularly in the South. In 1916, NAACP prioritized advocating for anti-lynching legislation and formed a special committee to bring public awareness to this unconscionable practice. A partnership with Anti-Lynching Crusaders led to rallies, the mobilization of volunteers, and targeted media advertisements.
Protecting all from lynching
In 1918, Missouri Representative Leonidas Dyer, a white Republican, introduced his anti-lynching bill in Congress. A progressive who represented a predominantly African-American district, Dyer was deeply disgusted by the violence resulting from race riots in St. Louis and continued lynching across the South.
AN ACT To assure to persons within the jurisdiction of every State the equal protection of the laws, and to punish the crime of lynching.
Under Moorfield Storey, NAACP did not support the Dyer Bill, arguing that it was unconstitutional. Storey, a lawyer, revised his position in 1918 and NAACP supported Dyer's anti-lynching legislation and pushed other lawmakers to act. The Dyer Bill was passed by the House of Representatives on January 26, 1922. Although the Senate Judiciary Committee moved the bill to the Senate floor for a vote, its passage was halted by a filibuster in the Senate by Southern Democrats.
Efforts to pass similar legislation were not taken up again for another decade. The Dyer Bill influenced the language of all subsequent anti-lynching legislation supported by the NAACP into the 1950s, including the Costigan-Wagner Bill in 1935. Read the Dyer Bill in its entirety below:
(snip)
https://naacp.org/find-resources/history-explained/legislative-milestones/dyer-anti-lynching-bill
Further history - https://history.house.gov/Exhibitions-and-Publications/BAIC/Historical-Essays/Temporary-Farewell/Anti-Lynching-Legislation/
And just prior to this last and final attempt 2 years ago, they almost got this far and STILL FAILED (note the date of the below article's publication) -
Since 1900, the House and Senate have repeatedly failed to pass such a bill. Now the legislation could be on its way to the Oval Office.
A House bill that would make lynching a federal crime was named for Emmett Till, who was lynched by a white mob in Mississippi in 1955, when he was 14.Credit...Robert A. Davis/Chicago Sun-Times, via Associated Press
By Jacey Fortin
Published Feb. 26, 2020 Updated Feb. 28, 2020
Since at least 1900, members of the House and Senate have tried to pass a law making lynching a federal crime. The bills were consistently blocked, shelved or ignored, and the passage of time has rendered anti-lynching legislation increasingly symbolic.
But on Wednesday, a measure to add lynching to the United States Criminal Code passed in the House. The Senate passed a version of the bill last year.
Once the bills are formally reconciled, the legislation can be sent to the Oval Office, where President Trump is expected to sign it into law.
(snip)
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/26/us/politics/anti-lynching-bill.html
It didn't happen.
Until a NEW piece of legislation introduced by Rep. Bobby Rush (former Black Panther) finally made it through the long and tortuous process to have something to send to the President's desk.
BOBBY RUSH
that it passed now!
TY!💙💛
that did cross my mind. I think there are constituents back home who would object to this vehemently.. but evidently not the majority.
Who knows?!
💙💛
Rest in Peace, Emmett Till, and courageous mother, Mamie.
And it's SO great to have some good news right now! 
I wish this could have happened while his mother was still alive to see it. but it's kind of stunning that it happened at all, in these troubled, divided times.
Words but behavior.
It's time to be humans undivided by skin color, we are all in the same race.
Peace to Emmett and his mom's brave soul.
The anti-lynching warriors like Ida B. Wells and so many others who struggled to get this done over a century ago, can now know that all of their efforts, initiatives, determination, and sacrifices, have finally lead to this outcome for legislation that will soon become the law of the land.
Finally.
