In 1912, Woodrow Wilson had won a three-way race for the White House with 42 percent of the votes. His promise of fair treatment for African-Americans had won over many of them to support a Democratic candidate for the first time.

However, shortly after his inauguration, a new policy of racial segregation was introduced into the federal government. In November 1913, a delegation led by William Trotter, the editor of the Boston Guardian, delivered petitions to Wilson protesting the policy.