NAACP demands Rep. Foxx’s support of voting rights bill
Above: Photos by Tevin Stinson- Isaac Howard, president of the local branch of the NAACP, reads part of the letter delivered to U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx’s office during a news conference in Clemmons on Tuesday, Sept. 1.
By Tevin Stinson, The Chronicle
On Tuesday, Sept. 1, NAACP branches across North Carolina held 17 news conferences and letter deliveries at local offices of their U.S. representatives and senators.
The letters that were all delivered simultaneously at 10 a.m. demanded the representatives’ and senators’ support of the Voting Rights Advancement Act to restore, strengthen and advance the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
Isaac Howard, president of the Winston-Salem Branch of the NAACP, spoke during the news conference outside the local office of U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx.
Just outside the door of the office in Clemmons, Howard told members of the media why the Voting Rights Act needed to be restored, and advanced.
“The United States is experiencing a historic assault on voting rights,” said Howard.
According to the letter, in just two years since the U.S. Supreme Court gutted the pre- clearance provisions of the Voting Rights Act on June 25, 2013, in Shelby County vs. Holder, 15 states, mostly in the South, have launched attacks on voting rights.
Today 21 states have implemented voter suppression laws or policies that directly target black voters and others who historically have been denied equal justice.
Dot Hill, a resident of Clemmons urged Foxx to support the act.
“We as a community are asking for your support of this act,” said Hill. “We are pushing for voting rights for everyone.”
After the news conference, members of the local and state branch of the NAACP marched behind president Howard as he delivered the letter inside the office.
The members gathered around Howard as he handed the letter to an assistant. Congresswoman Foxx was not in the office at the time.
These simultaneous letter deliveries were a part of America’s Journey For Justice, an 840-mile march from Selma, Alabama, to Washington D.C. Each state along the Journey For Justice is focused on a different issue from the NAACP national advocacy agenda. Because North Carolina has become known as the national battleground for voting rights, the North Carolina leg of the march will concentrate on the most fundamental constitutional right – the right to vote.
While leaving the office, Howard said he was excited to see so many members of the community support the event.
Linda Sutton, field organizer for Democracy N.C. and secretary of the Winston-Salem Branch of the NAACP, said the 2013 law has already disenfranchised a number of African-American voters.
“On the Democracy N.C. website, we have a document showing how this monster voter suppression bill has already had an affect on African-American voters,” Sutton said.
“We had a good turnout,” said Howard. “I am glad to see members of the community get involved in this movement.”
The letter deliveries were part of America’s Journey for Justice, a march from Selma, Alabama, to Washington, D.C. Each state along the 840-mile trip is focused on a different issue. North Carolina has been deemed the national battleground for voting rights.
Letters were also delivered to representatives offices’ in Wilson, Asheboro, Greenville, Chapel Hill, Graham, Bolivia, Concord, Mooresville, Gastonia, Spruce Pines, Greensboro, Fremont, Wilmington, Asheville, Charlotte, and Raleigh.
There will be a Mass Voting Rights Rally today (Thursday, Sept. 3) in Raleigh.
People are asked to gather at Shaw University at 4 p.m. to march into downtown Raleigh, and at 5 p.m. to gather at Bicentennial Mall, 16 W. Jones St. for the rally and program.
For more information on America’s Journey for Justice visit www.naacpnc.org.
