Civil and Human Rights Coalition Commemorates 50th Anniversary of LBJ’s Historic Call for Voting Rights Legislation
WASHINGTON –Wade Henderson, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement in advance of the 50th anniversary of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s powerful speech on March 15, 1965, which spurred Congress to pass the Voting Rights Act of 1965:
“Fifty years ago, President Johnson issued a clarion call to Congress to enact legislation to end the rampant voter discrimination plaguing our nation. Moved by the determination and sacrifice of the Selma marchers in the face of horrific violence on Bloody Sunday, Johnson urged immediate action, and Congress heeded his call by passing the Voting Rights Act just months later.
Just as Congress came together with bipartisan resolve in 1965, lawmakers must again work together with the same urgency to restore the protections of the Voting Rights Act that were lost in the Shelby decision.
We honor Johnson’s leadership in enacting one of our country’s cornerstone civil rights laws, thereby making sure that every American’s voice was heard. As Johnson told Congress, ‘I speak tonight for the dignity of man and the destiny of democracy. I urge every member of both parties, Americans of all religions and of all colors, from every section of this country, to join me in that cause.’
We need this same leadership in Congress today and urge members to transcend their differences and protect the right to vote by restoring the Voting Rights Act.”
Wade Henderson is president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 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, visit www.civilrights.org.
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