WASHINGTON — The leaders of the nation’s top historic civil rights organizations released the following joint readout on their meeting today at the White House with President Biden and Vice President Harris:
“In a very constructive meeting, national civil rights leaders met with President Biden, Vice President Harris, and senior White House officials to discuss the freedom to vote and restoring trust in law enforcement through police accountability.
“The civil rights leaders expressed their very serious concern over the dangerous anti-voter efforts by some who are intent on taking the nation backwards through voting barriers for Black, Brown, Indigenous, and new Americans. They made clear that these severely harmful efforts are a historic and existential crisis of democracy that requires urgent attention. The leaders expressed their thanks to the president and vice president for their support so far and asked them to do even more in pushing Congress to pass the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act in order to make real the promise of our democracy for all.
“The civil rights leaders also discussed the urgent need to provide meaningful changes to hold police accountable for misconduct and ensure the safety of all community members, including Black and Brown people who disproportionately face violence and abuse at the hands of police. The leaders urged the president and vice president to do everything possible to ensure legislation like the George Floyd Justice In Policing Act is passed into law.
“The civil rights leaders expressed their appreciation to the president and vice president for meeting with them and made clear they are eager to continue working with the White House on these important issues.”
Civil rights leaders in attendance included:
- Damon Hewitt, president and executive director, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
- Melanie Campbell, president/CEO, National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, and Convener, Black Women’s Roundtable
- Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole, national chair and president, National Council of Negro Women, Inc.
- Sherrilyn Ifill, president and director-counsel, NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund
- Wade Henderson, interim president and CEO, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
- Derrick Johnson, president and CEO, NAACP
- Marc H. Morial, president and CEO, National Urban League
- Rev. Al Sharpton, founder and president, National Action Network
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The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, was formed in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy to involve the private bar in providing legal services to address racial discrimination. Now in its 58th year, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is continuing its quest to “Move America Toward Justice.” The principal mission of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is to secure, through the rule of law, equal justice for all, particularly in the areas of criminal justice, fair housing and community development, economic justice, educational opportunities, and voting rights.
Founded in 1940, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) is the nation’s first civil and human rights law organization. LDF has been completely separate from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) since 1957—although LDF was originally founded by the NAACP and shares its commitment to equal rights. LDF’s Thurgood Marshall Institute is a multi-disciplinary and collaborative hub within LDF that launches targeted campaigns and undertakes innovative research to shape the civil rights narrative. In media attributions, please refer to us as the NAACP Legal Defense Fund or LDF.
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 220 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.
The National Urban League is a historic civil rights organization dedicated to economic empowerment in order to elevate the standard of living in historically underserved urban communities. The National Urban League spearheads the efforts of its 91 local affiliates through the development of programs, public policy research and advocacy, providing direct services that impact and improve the lives of more than 2 million people annually nationwide. Visit www.nul.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram: @NatUrbanLeague.
The National Coalition on Black Civic Participation (NCBCP), founded in 1976, is one of the most active civil rights and social justice organizations in the nation “dedicated to increasing civic engagement, economic and voter empowerment in Black America.” The Black Women’s Roundtable (BWR) is the women and girls empowerment arm of the NCBCP. At the forefront of championing just and equitable public policy on behalf of Black women, BWR promotes their health and wellness, economic security & prosperity, education and global empowerment as key elements for success. Visit www.ncbcp.org and follow us on Twitter @ncbcp and Instagram @thenationalcoalition.
National Action Network is one of the leading civil rights organizations in the Nation with chapters throughout the entire United States. Founded in 1991 by Reverend Al Sharpton, NAN works within the spirit and tradition of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to promote a modern civil rights agenda that includes the fight for one standard of justice, decency and equal opportunities for all people regardless of race, religion, nationality or gender. For more information go to www.nationalactionnetwork.net
Founded in 1909 in response to the ongoing violence against Black people around the country, the NAACP is the largest and most pre-eminent civil rights organization in the nation. We have over 2,200 units and branches across the nation, along with well over 2M activists. Our mission is to secure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons. In media attributions, please refer to us as the NAACP.
National Council of Negro Women, Inc. (NCNW) is a Washington, D.C.-based charitable organization making a difference in the lives of women, children, and families through a four-pronged strategy that emphasizes entrepreneurship, health equity, STEAM education, and civic engagement. Founded 85 years ago, NCNW has 310 community and campus-based sections and thirty-two national affiliates representing more than Two Million women and men. NCNW Current programs include Good Health WINs (Women’s Immunization Networks), GirlTech, HBCU College Fair, Millennial Entrepreneurs and Adulting 101. Johnnetta Betsch Cole, Ph.D., is the National Chair and Seventh President of NCNW. For more information please visit www.ncnw.org or NCNW’s social channels via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn.
