The Palmer Raids

The Palmer Raids were a series of controversial law enforcement actions carried out in the United States between 1919 and…

By Staff , in Historical Events in the USA , at September 7, 2024 Tags: 1919, fbi, usa

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The Palmer Raids were a series of controversial law enforcement actions carried out in the United States between 1919 and 1920 during the First Red Scare, a period of intense fear of communism, anarchism, and radical political movements following the Russian Revolution of 1917. The raids, named after U.S. Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer, targeted suspected left-wing radicals, anarchists, communists, and labor activists. The raids resulted in thousands of arrests, deportations, and violations of civil liberties, and they remain a key event in the history of U.S. political repression.

Background: The First Red Scare
Post-World War I Tensions
World War I Aftermath (1918): The United States emerged from World War I facing significant economic and political instability. The war had strained the country’s economy, and returning soldiers found themselves competing with workers, especially immigrants, for jobs. Labor strikes became widespread, and there was growing discontent with the government’s handling of the post-war economy.

Russian Revolution and Communist Fears: In 1917, the Russian Revolution led to the establishment of a communist government under the Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin. This sparked widespread fear among governments in Western countries, including the U.S., that communism could spread globally. Many Americans, particularly in the government and business sectors, viewed socialism, anarchism, and labor strikes as threats to the existing social and political order.

Rise of Radical Movements
Labor Unrest and Strikes (1919): In 1919, the U.S. experienced a wave of labor strikes, including major strikes by steelworkers, coal miners, and the Seattle General Strike in Washington. Many in the government and media portrayed these strikes as part of a broader communist conspiracy, further fueling fears of a radical uprising. At the same time, anarchist groups and socialist organizations were active in the U.S., advocating for revolutionary changes.

Bombings by Radical Groups (1919): The political climate was further inflamed by a series of bombings attributed to anarchist groups. On April 28, 1919, a bomb was mailed to the home of Seattle Mayor Ole Hanson. On June 2, 1919, bombs were set off in eight American cities, targeting prominent officials, including Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer. While Palmer was unharmed, these bombings heightened the national hysteria over the perceived threat of radical left-wing movements.

The Palmer Raids
A. Mitchell Palmer and the Push for Action:
Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer: Palmer, who had been appointed Attorney General in 1919, became the central figure in the government’s crackdown on radicalism. After surviving the June 1919 bombing, Palmer became convinced that the United States was on the brink of a communist revolution, similar to the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia. He saw it as his duty to prevent such an uprising.

J. Edgar Hoover’s Role: Palmer appointed a young J. Edgar Hoover (who would later lead the FBI) to head the General Intelligence Division within the Department of Justice. Hoover’s division compiled extensive lists of suspected radicals, anarchists, and communists, drawing on informants, surveillance, and reports from local law enforcement.

Raids Begin: November 1919–January 1920
First Wave of Raids (November 7, 1919): On November 7, 1919, the first major Palmer Raid was launched on the second anniversary of the Russian Revolution. Federal agents and local police conducted coordinated raids on the offices of radical labor organizations, including the Union of Russian Workers, in cities like New York and Detroit. Hundreds of people were arrested, many of them Russian immigrants or people affiliated with socialist and anarchist groups. Most of those arrested were held without warrants, and many were later deported.

Second Wave (January 2, 1920): The most extensive raids occurred on January 2, 1920, when federal agents and local law enforcement raided thousands of homes, businesses, and meeting places in over 30 cities across the U.S. Nearly 3,000 people were arrested, with the majority being held without due process or formal charges. The January raids particularly targeted members of the newly-formed Communist Party USA and the Communist Labor Party of America.

Detentions and Deportations
Detention of Suspected Radicals: Thousands of people were detained in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions, many without being charged with any crimes. Some detainees were beaten or mistreated by law enforcement. Most of those arrested were immigrants, many of whom had tenuous connections to radical politics.

Deportations Under the Immigration Act: The Immigration Act of 1918 allowed the government to deport non-citizens who were associated with anarchist or revolutionary movements. Using this law, Palmer’s Justice Department deported hundreds of immigrants, including prominent radical leaders like Emma Goldman and Alexander Berkman, who were sent back to Russia.

Public Reaction and Backlash
Early Public Support:
Fear of Radicalism: In the immediate aftermath of the raids, many Americans supported Palmer’s actions, believing they were necessary to protect the country from a communist revolution. The media often portrayed Palmer as a national hero standing up against dangerous radicals, and the fear of “Bolshevism” remained high among the public, particularly the middle and upper classes.

Congressional and Local Support: Many members of Congress and local authorities supported the raids, viewing them as an essential measure to maintain law and order. The widespread labor unrest, combined with the postwar economic crisis, made the public receptive to Palmer’s warnings of a looming radical threat.

Growing Criticism and the Collapse of Palmer’s Campaign
Violations of Civil Liberties: As the raids continued, however, reports of widespread civil liberties violations began to surface. Many people had been arrested without warrants or legal justification, held without trial, and denied access to legal representation. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which had recently been founded, and other civil rights organizations began to challenge the constitutionality of the raids.

Judicial Pushback: The courts also began to push back against the Palmer Raids. In several cases, judges ruled that the government had overstepped its authority and violated the due process rights of detainees. In particular, Judge George W. Anderson of Boston ruled that many of the arrests and detentions were illegal, ordering the release of several detainees and criticizing the Justice Department for its methods.

Declining Public Support: By mid-1920, Palmer’s credibility began to erode. He had predicted that a nationwide communist uprising would occur on May Day (May 1, 1920), but when no such uprising materialized, the public began to view his warnings as alarmist. Palmer’s political ambitions (he hoped to secure the Democratic nomination for president in 1920) also became a point of contention, as critics accused him of using the Red Scare to advance his own career.

Long-Term Consequences and Legacy
Impact on Civil Liberties:
Expansion of Government Surveillance: The Palmer Raids set a precedent for future government surveillance and repression of political dissent in the U.S. The government’s reliance on intelligence gathering and the use of informants to track political activists would later be echoed in the actions of the FBI under J. Edgar Hoover during the McCarthy era and beyond.

Criticism and Reflection: In the years following the Palmer Raids, many Americans and legal scholars reflected on the overreach of the government and the violations of civil liberties that occurred. The raids became a cautionary tale about the dangers of government overreaction during times of national fear and hysteria.

Rise of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU):
Defending Civil Rights: The ACLU, founded in 1920, emerged as a key defender of civil liberties in the wake of the Palmer Raids. The organization focused on protecting the rights of individuals against government overreach and became a leading voice for free speech, due process, and civil rights in the decades that followed.

Decline of the First Red Scare
End of the Red Scare: By the early 1920s, the intense fear of a communist revolution in the U.S. had subsided. The Palmer Raids, combined with economic recovery and declining labor unrest, marked the end of the First Red Scare. While the fear of communism would resurface during the Cold War, particularly during the McCarthy era of the 1950s, the Palmer Raids remain one of the most dramatic examples of political repression in American history.