Washington, D.C.— Marchers and advocates arrived in the nation’s capital today, after a weeks-long trek from Selma, Ala., to call on our leaders to protect the rights of every American. Led by the NAACP in America’s Journey for Justice, marchers rally under the banner, “our lives, our votes, our jobs, our schools matter.” Project Vote joins several other civil and voting rights groups in this national call for justice.
A rally and press conference will be held tomorrow, September 16 at 9 a.m. at Upper Senate Park, 200 New Jersey Avenue, NW, in Washington. Afterward, the NAACP, marchers, and supporters will be visiting members of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate to express the issues behind the 1000-mile march.
In a fitting conclusion to a summer that marked the 50-year anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, the marchers are putting a spotlight on modern-day discriminatory policies and restrictions that make it harder for Americans to exercise their right to vote. Despite mounting evidence of modern-day voting discrimination running rampant throughout our country, Congress has failed to restore the VRA.
“America’s Journey for Justice makes it clear to Congress, as well as 2016 presidential candidates, that American voters demand equal rights and protection in our criminal justice system, our democracy, our work places, and our schools,” said Project Vote President Michael Slater. “Today, we are calling for a national advocacy agenda that protects the rights of every American.”
For more information and interviews, please contact Michael McDunnah at 202-905-1397.