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WASHINGTON, DC — On Sunday, the Biden-Harris Administration announced a new round of pardons and commutations granting clemency to five activists, including a posthumous pardon for civil rights leader Marcus Garvey and commuting the sentences of two others.  

Damon Hewitt, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, issued the following statement:

“In one of his final executive actions, President Biden has cemented his legacy as a leader who understands the power of mercy and justice. With these individual pardons and clemency grants, he has offered second chances, removed the cloud of civil sanctions, and recognized the suffering these Americans have unfairly endured for decades. 

In so many cases across generations, Black Americans have been singled out for surveillance and harassment, selective prosecution, extreme charges, and excessively long and unjust sentences. While entire families and communities have endured the profound impact of these systemic inequities, many people, politicians, and corporations have profited–either through money or through political capital–from their collective suffering. These pardons and clemency grants are grounded in this important context. 

While nothing can fully restore the lives and lost time for these individuals and their families, President Biden’s actions are a start. We pledge to continue this work by demanding justice, until we have a system that serves all equitably and mercifully.”

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