During the early twentieth century, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) campaigned extensively for the passage of the Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill. Which of the following best describes the primary objective of this legislative effort?
- To make lynching a federal crime, allowing the federal government to prosecute perpetrators when state and local authorities failed to do soAnswer
- BTo establish federal oversight of local police to ensure they prosecuted rape allegations, which white authorities claimed was the sole cause of lynchings
- CTo officially merge the Niagara Movement and the NAACP to establish state-level legal defense funds
- DTo secure federal funding for the emigration of African Americans to West African nations to escape racial terror
Answer
To make lynching a federal crime, allowing the federal government to prosecute perpetrators when state and local authorities failed to do so
The correct option correctly identifies that the Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill sought to make lynching a federal crime. Since Southern state and local courts consistently refused to prosecute members of lynch mobs, federal intervention was necessary to bypass local bias and enforce the law.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
The legislative campaign against racial terror, specifically the NAACP's advocacy for the Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill.