Burning of African American Churches in Tennessee and Perceptions of Race Relations: Transcript of a Community Forum Held by the Tennessee Advisory Committee to the United States Commission on Civil Rights in Memphis, Tennessee on July 10, 1996

• NCJ Number: 165546
• Date Published: 1996
• Length: 57 pages
• Corporate Author: US Cmssn on Civil Rights
• Sale Source: US Cmssn on Civil Rights
• Publication Type: Conference Material
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A community forum held in Memphis, Tenn. in July 1996 examined arson against black churches in South Carolina; discussed perceptions of race relations; and assessed the investigative procedures of Federal, State, and local law enforcement officials.

Abstract

The forum was attended by elected officials, Federal and local law enforcement officials, religious leaders, members of civil rights organizations, and community members. An introductory speaker noted that the Tennessee Advisory Committee to the United States Commission on Civil Rights had just released its report, "Racial Tensions in Tennessee". The speaker also noted that a racial motivation appeared to be involved in about 70 percent of the fires involving black churches. Participants discussed the motivations of perpetrators, investigative procedures, coordination and cooperation among law enforcement personnel at different levels of government, and the current status of race relations in the State. Table