Document 22: "Stop Scottsboro Murder on December 7th!" Rally Handbill, October 1934, Clarina Michelson Papers, Tamiment Library, New York University.


Introduction

    As the execution date set by the second round of convictions of Scottsboro defendants neared, the call to mass action intensified. The International Labor Defense (I.L.D.) appealed to the "People of Harlem! Negro and white!" to take to the streets on October 20th in mass action to force a review of the case by and appeal before the U.S. Supreme Court. At that rally, Ruby Bates and Lester Carter appeared along with officials from the League of Struggle for Negro Rights, the Upper Harlem Unemployed Councils, the Communist Party's Harlem Section and the I.L.D., which was also now fighting for its place as the main coordinator of the Scottsboro Boys' defense.

STOP Scottsboro MURDER

On December 7th!

DEMAND THE SAFE UNCONDITIONAL RELEASE OF THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS!

INTO THE STREETS ON

October 20th at 2 p.m.

MASS AT 126 LENOX AVENUE!!

People of Harlem! Negro and white!

    NOW, if ever before, we must mobilize the most gigantic protest demonstrations to save the lives of the Scottsboro Boys from legal lynching on Dec. 7th. Mass Pressure, in spite of all the lying statements of Samuel Leibowitz and other Harlem misleaders, has staid the hand of the lynchers and has kept these boys alive for over three years. NOW INCREASED MASS PRESSURE AND MASS ACTIONS CAN WRENCH THESE BOYS TO FREEDOM!

    The fake claims of Samuel Leibowitz that two of the Scottsboro Boys, Haywood Patterson and Clarence Norris, had asked him (Leibowitz) to "oust the International Labor Defense" from the case have now been blasted to pieces. These claims have been exposed as a deliberate frame-up engineered by LEIBOWITZ, a group of Harlem ministers and Wm. N. Davis, publisher of the Amsterdam News. Smashing the claims of Leibowitz and his group are personal letters, telegrams and signed affidavits from the boys and their parents, expressing complete faith and confidence in the I.L.D. and its mass campaign, calling for an increased worldwide protest campaign.

    Now the I.L.D. is pushing the case to the United States Supreme Court. MASS PRESSURE CAN FORCE A REVIEW AND APPEAL INTO THIS COURT! MASS ACTIONS CAN FREE THESE BOYS! DEMONSTRATE NOW AGAINST ALL SCHEMES AND MANEUVERS! SAT. OCT. 20th AT 2 P.M. ALL OUT TO 126 ST. AND LENOX AVE.

WILLIAM FITZGERALD

Secretary Harlem I.L.D.

LOUIS SASS

Org. Sec'y Harlem C.P.

HARRY HAYWOOD

Secretary Nat. L.S.N.R.

RUBY BATES

LESTER CARTER

Two Star Witnesses Scottsboro Case

SPEAKERS:

MIKE WALSH

Org. Sec'y Harlem I.L.D.

LOUIS CAMPBELL

Secretary Harlem Unemployed Councils

ANNA DAMON

National I.L.D.

CLARENCE HATHAWAY

Editor of Daily Worker

JAMES W. FORD

Secretary Harlem C.P.

__________________________________________________________

    Workers, professionals! Negro and white! Elect delegates from your organizations, churches, clubs, trade unions, lodges, societies, to the united front emergency Scottsboro Action Conference to be held Sunday, Oct. 21st at 2 P.M. in the St. Lukes Hall at 127 West 130 Street.

__________________________________________________________
Aus

INTERNATIONAL LABOR DEFENSE, HARLEM SECTION

UPPER HARLEM UNEMPLOYED COUNCILS

326 LENOX AVE.

109 WEST 133 ST.

LEAGUE OF STRUGGLE FOR NEGRO RIGHTS

COMMUNIST PARTY, HARLEM SECTION
415 LENOX AVE.


 





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