Identifier

FBI_00149

Title

Opinions About Inter-Racial Tension

Creator

Office of War Information

Description

The FBI sent a panel of clergymen, social workers, and businessmen (all of whom are white) from across the United States a list of questions foll Detroit and Harlem pertaining to recent race riots. These questions were interested in what locals were saying about the race riots, were tensions increasing or decreasing, and what steps should be taken to avert future race riots. Several points were made by the panel of correspondents, stating that causes of racial tensions are largely attributed to discrimination, poor living conditions, and “extremist” agitators. Solutions listed were centered around removal of discrimination, improved conditions, and education, while others stated that Black folks should be “kept in his place” and segregation rigidly enforced.

Source

100-HQ-135-Serial155, 25 August 1943, Federal Bureau of Investigation Records, "Foreign Inspired Agitation Among American Negroes", Detroit FBI Files - Black Freedom.

Theme

Criminalization and Resistance, Community and Resistance

Type

Government Records

Level 1 Tag

Surveillance

Government Correspondence

"Race

Racism

Racialization"

COINTELPRO

Resistance

Detroit

Level 2 Tag

Racial Unrest

Profiling

Informants

Infiltration

Abuse by Government

Race & Ethnic Identity

COINTELPRO - Foreign Inspired Agitation Among American Negroes

Racial Inequality

Level 3 Tag

Federal Bureau of Investigation

Date

1943-08-25

Location

Washington, D.C.

Rights

Public Domain acquired through Freedom of Information Act