Anti-Lynching Laws

Definition

These are laws that were enacted to prohibit lynching - a form of violence, often resulting in murder, used primarily against African Americans in the United States during the late 19th and early 20th century.

Analogy

Think of anti-lynching laws as a safety net at a trapeze show. The performers (citizens) should be able to perform without fear of falling (being lynched). If they do fall, the safety net (the law) is there to protect them from harm.

Related terms

Hate Crime Laws: These are laws designed to deter bias-motivated violence. They add extra penalties for crimes committed out of prejudice against certain groups.

Civil Rights Act of 1964: This landmark legislation outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin. It also ended segregation in public places and banned employment discrimination.

Jim Crow Laws: These were state and local laws enforcing racial segregation in the Southern United States until the mid-1960s.