A Gallup poll conducted in 1937 found that 72 percent of Americans favored passage of an anti-lynching law. Significantly, that total included 57 percent of Americans living in the South.[1] Despite the support from a majority of Southern residents, Southern lawmakers consistently blocked passage of anti-lynching legislation and other civil rights laws.
The legacy of lynching is devastating. More than 4,400 black Americans were lynched in the United States between 1877 and 1950.[2]
This is one of many examples showing how America’s political system consistently lagged behind American culture on addressing legalized racism. An earlier Number of the Day noted that Jackie Robinson broke the major league color barrier in 1947. That was a year before the U.S. military was desegregated, seven years before the Supreme Court formally outlawed school segregation, and 17 years before Congress passed significant civil rights legislation.
The reality of a political system lagging behind popular culture applies to more than issues of racism. As noted in my book, "Politics Has Failed: America Will Not," the culture leads and politicians lag behind in just about all areas of life.
A national lynching memorial — the National Memorial for Peace and Justice — was recently opened in Montgomery, Alabama.[2]
Footnotes:
- Gallup, "Gallup Vault: 72% Support for Anti-Lynching Bill in 1937," May 11, 2018
- Equal Justice Initiative, "The National Memorial for Peace and Justice," accessed May 17, 2018
Each weekday, Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day explores interesting and newsworthy topics at the intersection of culture, politics, and technology. Columns published on Ballotpedia reflect the views of the author.
Scott Rasmussen is founder and president of the Rasmussen Media Group. He is the author of "Mad as Hell: How the Tea Party Movement Is Fundamentally Remaking Our Two-Party System," "In Search of Self-Governance," and "The People’s Money: How Voters Will Balance the Budget and Eliminate the Federal Debt." Read more reports from Scott Rasmussen — Click Here Now.
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