For the first time in American history, lynching is now a federal hate crime.

Just saying that sounds crazy, but it wasn't until last week in a ceremony at the White

House Rose Garden, when President Biden signed the Emmett Till anti-lynching act into

law that lynching was recognized in the federal law books.

I want to thank Vice President Harris, who was the key co-sponsor of this bill when she

was the United States Senator.

And I also want to thank Speaker Pelosi and Leader Schumer and members of the Congress.

Here today, especially Congress and Hoyer, Bobby Rush, Senator Dick Durbin and Cory Booker.

I also want to thank Senator Tim Scott, who couldn't be here today.

And the civil rights leaders gather here today and most of all the family of Emmett Till

and I to be Wells.

Thank you for never giving up, never, ever giving up.

Now if someone conspires to commit a hate crime that results in serious injury or death,

they will be considered a lynching under federal law, punishable by up to 30 years in prison.

Hundreds, hundreds of similar bills have failed to pass, but no federal law, no federal

law expressly prohibiting lynching, none, until today.

This moment is more than 120 years in the making.

On January 20th, 1900, U.S. Representative George Henry White of North Carolina introduced

America's first anti-linching bill.

The legislation would have made people convicted of mob violence eligible for the death penalty.

White was the only black member of Congress during his service.

His proposal was considered radical at the time.

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