NC NAACP Perspective Today on the Proposed Fix to the Voting Rights Act before Congress

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE,

April 3, 2014

For more information: Atty. Jamie Phillips Cole, Public Policy Coordinator, 919.682.4700

                                    Sarah Bufkin, Media Coordinator, 404.285.3413

A previous version of this alert incorrectly noted that Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II, would be speaking against the proposed piece of legislation. The NC NAACP is in agreement with sections of the bill but wants to see it strengthened and amended.

Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II, President of the NC NAACP, to Voice NC NAACP Perspective Today on the Proposed Fix to the Voting Rights Act before Congress

Press Conference

Thursday, April 3

9 am

NC General Assembly Press Conference Room

RALEIGH - The NC Legislative Black Caucus has invited Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II, president of the North Carolina NAACP and the architect of the Forward Together Moral Movement, to share the NC NAACP's position on the proposed fix to Section IV of the Voting Rights Act currently in Congress.

After the Supreme Court gutted Section V of the VRA last summer, national lawmakers proposed a legislative remedy. While the NAACP appreciates the start of debate, there is great concern that the fix would leave out crucial Southern states, including North Carolina, Florida, Alabama and Virginia, from the federal preclearance coverage that has proven so critical over the past five decades to blocking discriminatory voting and electoral changes.

The legislation currently before Congress must be strengthened and amended.

The NC Legislative Black Caucus is holding a media conference today at 9 am in the General Assembly Press Conference Room to lodge its opposition to this proposed VRA fix until the bill is amended to include North Carolina and all of the Southern states that still struggle to keep racial inequities and discrimination from corroding their democracies.

WHO:             NC Legislative Black Caucus

                        Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II, president of the NC NAACP
WHAT:          Media conference about the proposed Voting Rights Act fix

WHEN:          Today, April 3 at 9 am

WHERE:       NC General Assembly Press Conference Room

                       16 West Jones St, Raleigh, NC 27601

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Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization. Its members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities. The NC Conference of NAACP Branches is 70 years old this year and is made up of over 100 Adult, Youth and College NAACP units across the state, convenes more than 160 members of the Historic Thousands on Jones Street (HKonJ) People's Assembly Coalition, and is the architect of the Moral Monday & Forward Together Movement.