Press Releases

Today, Representative G. K. Butterfield, Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), issued the following statement commending the South Carolina Legislature for its swift action to remove the Confederate Battle flag from Statehouse grounds:

“Early this morning, the South Carolina Legislature took a decisive step toward uniting South Carolinians by passing a bill to remove the Confederate Battle flag from Statehouse grounds.  The Confederate Battle flag has long been a divisive symbol intended to celebrate a dark period in American history during which four million blacks were held as slaves, not seen as human beings, but merely as property.  We cannot erase or change history, but we can, as witnessed in South Carolina, take meaningful steps to move forward together by removing a painful symbol of hate, bigotry, and oppression that has plagued our nation.  The Congressional Black Caucus applauds the state of South Carolina for its progress towards a brighter future.” 

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Since its establishment in 1971, Members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) have joined together to empower America’s neglected citizens and address their legislative concerns. For more than 40 years, the CBC has consistently been the voice for people of color and vulnerable communities in Congress and has been committed to utilizing the full Constitutional power and statutory authority of the United States government to ensure that all U.S. citizens have an opportunity to achieve the American Dream. To learn more about the Congressional Black Caucus, visit http://cbc-butterfield.house.gov.

Media inquiries: Candace L. Randle at (202) 593-1331 or Candace.Randle@mail.house.gov