WASHINGTON, D.C. – Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, issued the following statement to mark the 51st anniversary of “Bloody Sunday in Selma, Alabama:
“Bloody Sunday marked a turning point in our nation’s civil rights movement. The brutal attack on peaceful civil rights protesters who were seeking to secure voting rights for African Americans helped lead to passage of the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965, our nation’s most important federal civil rights law. Today, we continue to witness efforts to restrict voting rights for African Americans and other minority communities. From restrictive photo identification requirements, to cuts on early voting hours to purges of the voter registration rolls, much work remains to be done to secure full access to the ballot box for all Americans. The 51st anniversary of Bloody Sunday provides a moment to redouble our efforts to expand voting rights and strengthen American democracy.”
The Lawyers’ Committee remains actively involved in efforts to strengthen American democracy, including leading Election Protection, a national nonpartisan program to address problems that voters encounter on and prior to Election Day; challenging a directive by the Director of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission that burdens voter registration efforts; filing lawsuits to challenge discriminatory redistricting plans; championing reforms to expand access to the franchise for disenfranchised populations such as ex-offenders and pushing for bi-partisan action to fill the current vacant seat on the U.S. Supreme Court — one of the most important venues for fighting critical struggles concerning the Voting Rights Act and the 15th Amendment.
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