Racism is at the very heart of the Cannabis Witch Hunt.
“Marihuana makes darkies think they’re as good as white men.” — H.J. Anslinger, Federal Bureau of Narcotics, 1920s
“Marihuana is responsible for the raping of white women by crazed negroes.” — Hearst Newspapers, 1930
“Marihuana influenced negroes to look at white people in the eye, step on white men’s shadows, and look at a white woman twice.” — Hearst Newspapers, 1935
“Negro entertainers with their jazz and swing music are declared an outgrowth of marihuana use which possesses white women to tap their feet.” — H.J. Anslinger, Federal Bureau of Narcotics, testimony before Congress, 1937
