Civil and Voting Rights

Today the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys Act (S.2163/H.R. 1636), introduced by Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson, to establish a 19-member commission examining the social disparities that disproportionately affect black males in America. Led by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), the Senate unanimously passed a companion bill, S. 2163, on June 25. The two lawmakers created a similar commission when they served together in Florid... Read more

The Congressional Black Caucus is deeply concerned by the voter suppression activities witnessed during yesterday’s primary election in Georgia. Voters were met with excessively long lines, dysfunctional polling machines, ballot shortages, and unnecessary administrative delays. The scenes from Tuesday are very worrisome as we have seen repeated instances of voter suppression tactics deployed in primaries this year. Wisconsin and California both experienced issues around long wait times and ballo... Read more

The Congressional Black Caucus sent a letter today to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) strongly opposing the nomination of Cory Wilson to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit based on his record of support for ultra-right-wing ideology and his opposition to civil rights. “It should be clear,” the Congressional Black Caucus letter states, “that if Wilson is confirmed, he would not support and uphold laws that support i... Read more

Since its creation by the Second Continental Congress in 1775, the United States Postal Service (USPS) has continued to fulfill and expand its mission to ensure all Americans have access to a nationwide mail system, no matter whether you live in a large urban city or a rural small town. As the Postal Service’s vast network continued to expand, the growing need for workers provided a critical lifeline for the African American community. Following the Civil War, newly-enfranchised African American... Read more

As the House introduces The Heroes Act to provide much-needed federal resources to our nation, the CBC worked closely with leadership to develop legislation that responded to the urgent needs of Black America, who have been hit the hardest by coronavirus. The Congressional Black Caucus is calling for targeted comprehensive intervention through city, county, or state government public health agencies in communities where there is a disproportionate infection and death rates. This will include rap... Read more

On February 23, Ahmaud Arbery, a young, vibrant Black man was killed in broad daylight, in Brunswick, Georgia. His crime? He was jogging while Black in his neighborhood. The killing of Ahmaud Arbery shows us that the spirit of lynching is still alive and well in our nation and something that we cannot tolerate. It has been more than ten weeks and no arrests have been made. While the Arbery family deals with the heartache, the murderers Greg McMichael and his son, Travis McMichael, are home livin... Read more

Today, we join the world in mourning the passing of Civil Rights leader Rev. Joseph Lowery. Rev. Lowery, fondly known as the “dean” of the civil rights movement, was a pastor, an organizer of the March on Washington, co-founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, leader of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, and member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated. In 2009, Rev. Lowery delivered the benediction at President Obama’s Inauguration and later that year President Oba... Read more

The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) released the following statement after the bipartisan Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security, or CARES Act, passed the Senate: “When America catches a cold, Black America catches pneumonia. So as America continues to deal with the impact of the coronavirus health crisis, the CBC is fighting for bold solutions to support the needs of Black families, seniors, workers, businesses, and communities.” On March 20, the CBC submitted an extensive 11-page prop... Read more

Today, the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) issued the following statement on the passing of Airickca Gordon Taylor, cousin of Emmett Till. “It is with great sadness that the Congressional Black Caucus learns of the passing of Airickca Gordon Taylor, cousin of Emmett Till. Mrs. Gordon Taylor was known for her work speaking out against racial violence, her work with families also impacted by hate crimes, and her work with young people. In her role as executive director of the Mamie Till Mobley M... Read more

The Congressional Black Caucus released the following statement following the announcement by Speaker Nancy Pelosi that two members of the Congressional Black Caucus, Representatives Hakeem Jeffries (NY-08) and Val Demings (FL-10), as managers for the impeachment trial of President Donald J. Trump in the United States Senate: “As the conscience of the Congress, Members of the Congressional Black Caucus, including Representatives Jeffries and Demings, have worked tirelessly to ensure that our dem... Read more