Letter from Walter F. White to J. A. A. Burnquist, July 23, 1920.
Type of event: Lynchings
Location: Minnesota; United States
Addressee: J. A. A. Burnquist
Addressor: Walter F. White
Document date:
Document type: Correspondence
Documents: Letter from Walter F. White to J. A. A. Burnquist, July 23, 1920.
Citation:
Minnesota. Governor (1915-1921: Burnquist).
Records.
Subject Files (File 648c): Duluth Lynchings, 1920.
Letter from Walter F. White to J. A. A. Burnquist, July 23, 1920.
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NATIONAL
OFFICERS
---- PRESIDENT Moorfield Storey VICE-PRESIDENTS Archibald H. Grimke
Rev. John Haynes Holmes Bishop John Hurst Arthur B. Spingarn Oswald Garrison Villard |
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THEADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE70 Fifth Avenue, New YorkTelephone: Chelsea 9386 |
EXECUTIVE
OFFICERS
---- CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD Mary White Ovington John R. Shillady, Secretary
J.E. Spingarn, Treasurer Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois, Director of Publications and Research James Weldon Johnson, Field Secretary
Walter F. White,
Assistant Secretary
|
July 23, 1920
Honorable J.A.A. Burnquist,
Governor of Minn.
State Capitol
St.
Paul, Minn.
My dear Governor Burnquist:
Since your letter of July
2nd to Miss Ovington, we have noticed in a number of papers that
evidence secured since the Duluth lynching have clearly established the fact
that the three Negroes lynched in that city in June were not guilty of criminal
assault upon the young white girl envolved [sic]; but that the girl’s
companion and she made up the story to cover misdeeds of their own.
The
Associated press despatches [sic] have established the belief throughout the
country that the men lynched were guilty of the atrocious crime with which they
were charged. If the dispatches which we read are true that the men were
innocent would it be possible for you to give a statement to the Associated
Press representative in you city to that effect? I need hardly mention the fact
that such a statement coming from you would get much wider publicity than one
coming from this office.
Please let me know if this is possible.
Very cordially yours,
Walter White
Assistant
Secretary
WW/EF