The National Federation for Constitutional Liberties (NFCL) (1940–c. 1946) was a civil rights advocacy group made up from a broad range of people (including many trade unionists, religious organizations, African-American civil rights advocates and professional organizations).[1]
The NFCL founded at a national conference on civil liberties held in Washington, D.C. in June 1940.[1]
Purpose
The purpose of the Federation was co-ordinate the activities of the various groups involved within the organization to gain greater democratic freedoms for all who were involved. As well as civil rights advocacy, the Federation was also against lynching, poll tax, and discrimination, the Jim Crow laws, and ran campaigns against these occurrences.[1]
In a proposed Anti-Fascist Civil Rights Declaration for 1944, the Federation called for a permanent Fair Employment Practice Committee (FEPC), equality within the US armed forces, legislation against antisemitism and all forms of incitement to racial hatred, a ban on discrimination in employment and in housing, the abolition of Jim Crow, and passage of a federal anti-lynching bill.[1]
The Federation publicized its campaigns and other activities through numerous pamphlets and through Action Letters mailed to thousands of local leaders, unions, churches, civic and professional groups. It organized conferences, public meetings and banquets with outstanding speakers and civil liberties advocates. Its Academic Council led the defense of educators like Max Yergan, blacklisted by the United States for their political beliefs.
Attorney General Francis Biddle claimed this was as "part of what Lenin called the 'solar system' of organizations, ostensibly having no connection with the Communist Party, by which Communists attempt to create sympathizers and supporters of their program".[5]
^ abcd"Guide to the George Marshall Papers" (PDF). Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
^Press releases, December 4, 1947 and September 21, 1948; cited in report prepared from the public files of the House Committee on Un-American Activities for Senator William E. Jenner, Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Internal Security, October 20, 1953, reproduced in Who Was Frank Marshall Davis?, Cliff Kincaid and Herbert Romerstein, p. 12-14.
^M. Stanton Evans, Blacklisted by History: The Untold Story of Senator Joe McCarthy and His Fight Against America's Enemies (New York: Crown Forum, 2007) ISBN978-1-4000-8105-9, pp. 55-60, notes).
^"Prelude to McCarthyism: The Making of a Blacklist". Goldstein, Robert Justin, Prologue, U.S. National Archives. 2006. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
^Jones, Elton (1996). Which Bible?. Health Research Books. p. 106. ISBN9780787304829. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
national, federation, constitutional, liberties, nfcl, 1940, 1946, civil, rights, advocacy, group, made, from, broad, range, people, including, many, trade, unionists, religious, organizations, african, american, civil, rights, advocates, professional, organiz. The National Federation for Constitutional Liberties NFCL 1940 c 1946 was a civil rights advocacy group made up from a broad range of people including many trade unionists religious organizations African American civil rights advocates and professional organizations 1 Contents 1 History 1 1 Formation 1 2 Purpose 1 3 Controversy 2 Merger 3 See also 4 ReferencesHistory EditFormation Edit The NFCL founded at a national conference on civil liberties held in Washington D C in June 1940 1 Purpose Edit The purpose of the Federation was co ordinate the activities of the various groups involved within the organization to gain greater democratic freedoms for all who were involved As well as civil rights advocacy the Federation was also against lynching poll tax and discrimination the Jim Crow laws and ran campaigns against these occurrences 1 In a proposed Anti Fascist Civil Rights Declaration for 1944 the Federation called for a permanent Fair Employment Practice Committee FEPC equality within the US armed forces legislation against antisemitism and all forms of incitement to racial hatred a ban on discrimination in employment and in housing the abolition of Jim Crow and passage of a federal anti lynching bill 1 The Federation publicized its campaigns and other activities through numerous pamphlets and through Action Letters mailed to thousands of local leaders unions churches civic and professional groups It organized conferences public meetings and banquets with outstanding speakers and civil liberties advocates Its Academic Council led the defense of educators like Max Yergan blacklisted by the United States for their political beliefs Controversy Edit The Federation was considered subversive and Communist by Attorney General Tom C Clark 2 and the group was considered one of eleven subversive organizations 3 drawn up on 3 April 1947 at the request of Clark 4 Attorney General Francis Biddle claimed this was as part of what Lenin called the solar system of organizations ostensibly having no connection with the Communist Party by which Communists attempt to create sympathizers and supporters of their program 5 George Marshall 6 who served as chairman of the National Federation for Constitutional Liberties and the Civil Rights Congress 7 8 worked with Paul Robeson Dashiell Hammett and William L Patterson on litigation protecting the rights of African Americans and American communists Marshall was called before the House Committee on Un American Activities where he was cited for Contempt of Congress for refusing to turn over records from the National Federation Convicted he served three months in a federal prison in 1950 9 Merger EditBy 1946 1947 the NFCL rolled into the Civil Rights Congress along with the International Labor Defense ILD and the National Negro Congress See also EditCommunist front Civil Rights Congress International Labor Defense National Negro CongressReferences Edit a b c d Guide to the George Marshall Papers PDF Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture Retrieved 3 March 2015 Press releases December 4 1947 and September 21 1948 cited in report prepared from the public files of the House Committee on Un American Activities for Senator William E Jenner Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Internal Security October 20 1953 reproduced in Who Was Frank Marshall Davis Cliff Kincaid and Herbert Romerstein p 12 14 M Stanton Evans Blacklisted by History The Untold Story of Senator Joe McCarthy and His Fight Against America s Enemies New York Crown Forum 2007 ISBN 978 1 4000 8105 9 pp 55 60 notes Prelude to McCarthyism The Making of a Blacklist Goldstein Robert Justin Prologue U S National Archives 2006 Retrieved 3 March 2015 Jones Elton 1996 Which Bible Health Research Books p 106 ISBN 9780787304829 Retrieved 3 March 2015 No relation to General George C Marshall the Secretary of State George Marshall papers 1933 1955 New York Public Library 2009 Retrieved 2 December 2019 New York Times George Marshall 96 Pioneer in the Civil Rights Movement obituary June 18 2000 New York Times June 18 2000 This article related to the politics of the United States is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte This article relating to the history of the United States is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title National Federation for Constitutional Liberties amp oldid 1074055514, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
