The first recorded lynching in the United States was in 1835 in St. Louis, when an accused killer of a deputy sheriff was captured while being taken to jail.

The movement was composed mainly of African Americans who tried to persuade politicians to put an end to the practice, but after the failure of this strategy, they pushed for anti-lynching legislation.

During this period, two organizations spearheaded the movement—the Afro-American League (AAL) and the National Equal Rights Council (NERC).

The Dyer bill was re-introduced in subsequent sessions of Congress, but its passage was blocked in the Senate by a filibuster by Southern Democrats, and was never enacted.

The NAACP formed a special committee in 1916 in order to push for anti-lynching legislation and to enlighten the public about lynching.

[3] This organization's purpose was to ensure that African Americans got their economic, political, social, and educational rights.

She was a prominent member of many civil rights organizations, such as the NAACP, the Niagara Movement, and the Afro-American Council.

She said the following:Nobody in this section of the country believes the old thread-bare lie that Negro men rape white women.

If Southern white men are not careful, they will overreach themselves and public sentiment will have a reaction; a conclusion will then be reached which will be very damaging to the moral reputation of their women.

[10]Having insulted white women's morality, the reaction in her hometown of Memphis was particularly violent; her newspaper was looted and burned down, and her co-owners were run out of town.

In one of her most famous plays, Rachel, she addressed both the lynching problem and the psychological affects that it had on African American people.

[9] This organization focused specifically on raising money to pass the Dyer Bill and stopping the killings of innocent people.

[17] Mary Talbert was the leader of the group; her objective was to unite 700 state workers, specifically women, but of no distinguishing color or race.

Talbert was an active fundraiser for the Crusaders and affirmed the organizations desire "to raise at least one million dollars...to help us put over the Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill.