By People’s Organization for Progress
On the anniversary of the 1965 Voting Rights Act a press conference will be held today to condemn gerrymandering and voter suppression, and express support for Texas legislators who have fled that state in order to block the governor’s redistricting scheme.
The press conference is being called by the People’s Organization For Progress and the Martin Luther King People’s Convention for Justice and Resistance.
“The purpose of the press conference is to draw attention to the attacks on voting rights, condemn gerrymandering and voter suppression, demand restoration of the Voting Rights Act and passage of current voting rights legislation,” Lawrence Hamm, Chairman, People’s Organization For Progress stated.
“We will publicly express our support for the courageous Texas legislators who have left that state in order to block Governor Abbott’s racist gerrymandering plan,” Hamm said.
“August 6th will mark the 60th anniversary of the signing into law of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Since that time it has been gutted by the U.S. Supreme Court and weakened at federal, state and local levels,” he said.
“The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed in response to the Civil Rights Movement that was fighting on behalf of black people who were being denied the right to vote,” he said.
“Here we are sixty years later in the 21st century and voter suppression and gerrymandering are still being used to keep African Americans and others from voting,” he said.
PEOPLE’S ORGANIZATION FOR PROGRESS (POP)
PO BOX 22505
NEWARK, NJ 07101
973 801-0001
www.njpop.org
CONTACT: LAWRENCE HAMM
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