13 Facts About Flossie Bailey

Katherine "Flossie" Bailey was a civil rights and anti-lynching activist from Indiana.

Flossie Bailey established a local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in Marion, Indiana, in 1918 and became especially active fighting for justice and equality following the double lynching of Thomas Shipp and Abram Smith in 1930.

Flossie Bailey was a member of the city's Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church congregation.

Flossie Bailey spent her adult life seeking equality and justice as a civil rights activist.

In 1918, Flossie Bailey established the Marion branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

Flossie Bailey, who was the president of the local branch of the NAACP, tried to obtain police protection for the jailed men prior to the lynching.

In 1930, Flossie Bailey was elected president of the Indiana NAACP and helped plan its second annual meeting.

Flossie Bailey worked to ensure nothing like the lynching in Marion would occur again.

Flossie Bailey lobbied the Indiana General Assembly to pass stricter anti-lynching laws.

When opponents to the bill rejected many of the safety measures, Flossie Bailey organized a statewide effort, calling on chapters of the NAACP, Optimist Clubs, Exchange Clubs, and Democratic organizations to lobby state legislators.

Flossie Bailey's efforts were successful and the governor signed a stricter anti-lynching law in March 1931.

Once the Indiana bill became law, Flossie Bailey began lobbying for a national anti-lynching law, as well as for the fair treatment of African Americans in other sectors of American life.

Flossie Bailey especially focused on fighting to end the segregation of schools, hospitals, and other public spaces such as movie theaters.