Lois de Lafayette Washburn (born c. 1894) was an American fascist and the founder of anti-Semitic groups in Chicago and Tacoma, Washington. She signed her letters "T.N.T.".
She claimed to be a descendant of General Lafayette,[1] the French aide to George Washington.
She founded anti-Semitic groups in Chicago and Tacoma, Washington.[2] She also acted as the executive secretary of Donald Shea's National Gentile League.
In 1936 she founded the Crusaders for Economic Liberty in Chicago with George W. Christians.[3] She also helped establish the American Gentile Protective Association of Chicago.[4]
In a letter to a friend she observed that, "First it is necessary to drag these brigand Jews by the hair of the head … and place them before a firing squad, since death is the penalty for high treason. Then we will proceed to set up William Dudley Pelley's Christian Commonwealth".[4]
While on trial with seditionists in 1944 during the Brown Scare, she gave a Nazi salute from the court steps.[5] [6] She appeared at one hearing in her nightie, claiming the jail guards had deliberately stolen her clothes. She made political statements and laughed at inappropriate moments.[4]