Communist Party Memorandum on the Emmett Till Case (1955)

Date: September 29, 1955

Created By: National Administrative Committee

Original or Replica: Original

Era: Civil Rights, The Presidency

Collection: Eisenhower Presidential Library

Citations: White House Office of the Special Assistant for National Security Affairs, FBI Series, Box 3, FBI T-Z (1); NAID #12224523

This memorandum, dated September 29, 1955, was issued by the National Administrative Committee of the Communist Party USA and distributed to party districts across the country following the acquittal of the men charged with the murder of Emmett Till. Addressed to local party leaders, the document outlines a national strategy for organizing public demonstrations, distributing educational materials, and increasing political pressure on the federal government in response to Till’s lynching.

The memorandum argues that the federal government, including the Eisenhower administration and Attorney General Herbert Brownell Jr., should take a more active role in addressing racial violence and enforcing civil rights protections. It encourages supporters to organize petitions, telegrams, rallies, memorial meetings, and lobbying efforts aimed at securing federal anti-lynching legislation and broader civil rights reforms. The document also reveals how the Communist Party sought to connect the Emmett Till case to its broader political agenda by mobilizing labor organizations, civil rights groups, and community leaders.