Civil and Human Rights Coalition Applauds Vote on Law to Solve Racially Motivated Civil Rights-Era Crimes

WASHINGTON—Wade Henderson, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement in response to the bipartisan House reauthorization of the Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crimes Reauthorization Act, which enables the Department of Justice to continue investigating and prosecuting racially-motivated murders and other race-based cold cases from the civil rights era:

“The passage of the Emmett Till Act is a welcome reminder that civil rights is not a partisan issue—it’s a national one. Full passage of this reauthorization will give the Department of Justice the tools it needs to continue its work to seek justice for the victims of racially motivated terror from decades ago.

We desperately need the same bipartisan commitment to stopping today’s hate violence. Since the election, the nation has seen a troubling spike in hate incidents, particularly against immigrant, Muslim, and transgender communities.

This violence also demands a response from our President-elect and the nominee for Attorney General. We call on them to disavow current violence and to commit to the full enforcement of the Emmett Till Act and hate crimes laws currently on the books.

We applaud this bipartisan vote for the impact it can have on the family members of victims of lynching and violence that occurred in the past. But this legislation cannot be a fig leaf for those who ignore the nationwide surge of hate that was brought on by this election.”

Wade Henderson is the 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 and its 200-plus member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.

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