We March On
While the barriers we’ve faced over 70 years have changed, our rallying cry has not: Together, across communities, we are building a just and fair future for us all. From our founding, people who would choose injustice have tried to confine our potential, dampen our dreams, and silence our voices. Our coalition has responded by opening its doors. By continually expanding its vision for justice and opportunity. And by achieving landmark civil rights wins for our communities and democracy.
At 70 years, we honor this coalition’s daring defiance. Our resilience. Our perseverance and hope. With this unshakable legacy at our backs, we march on.
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Civil Rights Acts
Civil Rights Acts
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Voting Rights Act
Voting Rights Act
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Fair Housing Act
Fair Housing Act
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Title IX of Educational Amendments
Title IX of Educational Amendments
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Rehabilitation Act
Rehabilitation Act
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Americans with Disabilities Act
Americans with Disabilities Act
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Violence Against Women Act
Violence Against Women Act
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Voting Rights Act Reauthorization
Voting Rights Act Reauthorization
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Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act
Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act
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Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act
Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act
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Fair Sentencing Act
Fair Sentencing Act
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Every Student Succeeds Act
Every Student Succeeds Act
Our History and Legacy
The Leadership Conference was founded in 1950 by visionaries whose leadership was grounded in the firm conviction that the struggle for civil rights would be won not by one group alone, but through coalition. Since then, The Leadership Conference coalition has coordinated national advocacy efforts on behalf of every major civil rights law since 1957 — some of which are noted on this timeline.
Today, The Leadership Conference remains the nation’s oldest, largest, and most diverse civil and human rights coalition. It is the strategic hub for fighting discrimination in all its forms and expanding opportunity and fairness for all people in America.
“The struggle of civil rights cannot be won by any one group acting by or for itself alone, but only through a coalition of groups that share a common commitment to equal justice and equal opportunity for everyone."
Arnold Aronson, Leadership Conference co-founder
Make Your Voice Heard
2020 is the election of our lifetime — and we will not be silenced. Vote early, sign up to be a poll worker if you can, and if you encounter any voting problems yourself, call the nonpartisan Election Protection Hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE. Like the foot soldiers for justice who marched before us, we too must remain unyielding in our demand for a free and fair democracy.
Learn moreShare Your Photos
For 70 years, activists in The Leadership Conference coalition have poured their hearts into organizing and building and sustaining a movement. What relationships did you forge? What victories did you celebrate? What memories light up the last seven decades of civil rights work? Share your photos below and we'll post them in our image gallery.
To the Next 70
Until Democracy Is Won
Our nation’s highest values are under relentless attack. From our communities to the courts, the Trump administration is trying to roll back civil rights and disenfranchise millions of people in America.
When you make a donation to The Leadership Conference, you become a Movement Mover and join people across the country who are coming together to protect our civil and human rights. Make an urgent gift to The Leadership Conference today.
Thank You to Our Members
9to5, National Association of Working Women
A. Philip Randolph Institute
AARP
AAUW (formerly known as the American Association of University Women)*
Advancement Project
Alaska Federation of Natives
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee*
American Association for Access, Equity and Diversity
American Association for Justice
American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education
American Association of People with Disabilities*
American Atheists
American Civil Liberties Union*
American Council of the Blind
American Ethical Union
American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO
American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations
American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO
American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO*
American Humanist Association
American Islamic Congress
American Jewish Committee
American Postal Workers Union, AFL-CIO
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
Americans for Democratic Action
Americans United for Separation of Church and State
Amnesty International USA
The Andrew Goodman Foundation
Anti-Defamation League
Appleseed
Arab American Institute Foundation
Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS)
The Arc
Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC*
Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum
Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO
The Association of Junior Leagues International Inc.
Association of People Supporting Employment First
The Association of University Centers on Disabilities
Autistic Self Advocacy Network
Bend the Arc
B’nai B’rith International
Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law
Campaign for Youth Justice
Center for Constitutional Rights
Center for Law and Social Policy
Center for Media Justice
Center for Popular Democracy
Center for Reproductive Rights
Center for Responsible Lending**
Children’s Defense Fund
Church of the Brethren – World Ministries Commission
Coalition of Black Trade Unionists
Coalition on Human Needs
Common Cause
Communications Workers of America, AFL-CIO, CLC
Community Action Partnership
Community Change**
Compassion & Choices
Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities
Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, Inc.
DC Vote
Defending Rights and Dissent
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Dēmos
Disability Rights Advocates
Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund
Drug Policy Alliance
End Citizens United Action Fund
Equal Justice Society
Equally American Legal Defense and Education Fund
FairVote
Families USA
Federally Employed Women
Feminist Majority
Freedom From Religion Foundation
Friends Committee on National Legislation
Girls Inc.
GLSEN
Hadassah (The Women’s Zionist Organization of America)
Hindu American Foundation
Hip Hop Caucus
Hispanic Federation
Human Rights Campaign*
Human Rights First
Human Rights Watch
Impact Fund
Institute for Intellectual Property and Social Justice
Interfaith Alliance
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
International Association of Official Human Rights Agencies
International Brotherhood of Teamsters
International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America*
Iota Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc.
Japanese American Citizens League*
Jewish Council for Public Affairs
Jewish Labor Committee
Judge David L. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law
Justice in Aging
Juvenile Law Center
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
Labor Council for Latin American Advancement
Laborers’ International Union of North America
Lambda Legal
LatinoJustice PRLDEF
Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
League of United Latin American Citizens
League of Women Voters of The United States*
Learning Policy Institute
Legal Aid at Work
Legal Momentum
Matthew Shepard Foundation
Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund
Movement Advancement Project (MAP)
Muslim Advocates
Muslim Public Affairs Council
NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.*
NALEO Educational Fund
National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity
National Alliance of Postal & Federal Employees
National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
National Association of Community Health Centers
National Association of Consumer Advocates
National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities
National Association of Human Rights Workers
National Association of Neighborhoods
National Association of Social Workers
National Bar Association
National Black Caucus of State Legislators
National Black Justice Coalition
National Center for Law and Economic Justice
National Center for Learning Disabilities
National Center for Special Education in Charter Schools
National Center for Transgender Equality
National Center for Youth Law
National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development
National Coalition for the Homeless
National Coalition on Black Civic Participation
National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
National College Attainment Network
National Congress of American Indians*
National Consumer Law Center
National Council of Asian Pacific Americans
National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.
National Council of Jewish Women
National Council of Negro Women
National Council of Teachers of English
National Council on Independent Living
National Disability Rights Network
National Down Syndrome Congress
National Education Association*
National Employment Law Project
National Employment Lawyers Association
National Fair Housing Alliance*
National Farmers Union
National Indian Education Association
National LGBTQ Task Force
National Health Law Program
National Hispanic Media Coalition
National Housing Law Project
National Immigration Forum
National Immigration Law Center
National Korean American Service and Education Consortium
National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health
National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty
National Lawyers Guild
National Legal Aid & Defender Association
National Low Income Housing Coalition
National Organization for Women*
National Partnership for Women & Families**
National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa, Inc.
National Urban League*
National Women’s Law Center*
Native American Rights Fund
New Jersey Institute for Social Justice
Newspaper Guild
OCA (formerly known as Organization of Chinese Americans)
Office of Communication of the United Church of Christ, Inc.
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
Open Society Policy Center
Paralyzed Veterans of America
PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays)
People For the American Way*
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.
Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc.
PolicyLink
Poverty & Race Research Action Council
Pride At Work
Prison Policy Initiative
Public Advocates Inc.
Public Citizen
Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism*
Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union
Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law
Secular Coalition for America
Service Employees International Union*
The Sierra Club
Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.
Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund
Sikh Coalition
South Asian Americans Leading Together
Southeast Asia Resource Action Center
Southern Christian Leadership Conference
Southern Poverty Law Center
TASH
Teach for America
Transportation Learning Center
UnidosUS (formerly National Council of La Raza)*
Union for Reform Judaism
United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America
United Farm Workers of America, AFL-CIO
United Food and Commercial Workers International Union
United Methodist Church-General Board of Church & Society
United Mine Workers of America, AFL-CIO
United States International Council on Disabilities
United States Students Association
United Steelworkers of America
Voices for Progress
The Voter Participation Center
Voto Latino
Workers Defense League
YWCA USA
*Member represented on The Leadership Conference Board of Directors
**Member represented on The Leadership Conference Education Fund Board of Directors