WASHINGTON, DC  - Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Chair Marcia L. Fudge (OH-11) released the following statement on the 50^th Anniversary of Freedom Summer:

“This month, we mark the 50^th Anniversary of Freedom Summer where men and women of all ages traveled to and through Mississippi to ensure African-Americans were registered and protected as they fought to exercise their right to vote. This effort was led by the Congress on Racial Equality (CORE) and the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) during the time in which Congressman John Lewis served as SNCC Chair.  They organized African Americans in Mississippi and more than 1,000 young white volunteers to face bigoted authorities and racist groups who violently opposed racial equality in the south.

“Despite mass bus and church bombings, vicious beatings, and the constant threat of death, individuals within the Freedom Summer coalition tirelessly worked on behalf of oppressed people in Mississippi and across this nation. America’s Freedom Riders and Freedom Summer movements served as catalysts for the country’s leaders to pay attention and take legislative action to help stop the terror African Americans faced daily as they fought to have their constitutional rights protected. Not long after stories from Freedom Summer spread across the nation, members of Congress worked together to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that outlawed discrimination in public places based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin. The following year, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was signed into law.

“While we honor the legacy and the lives of the Freedom Summer volunteers this June, we must also recognize that everything they worked for is at risk. In the wake of the Shelby County v. Holder decision, voter discrimination in America is still a salient and significant problem. In cities and counties across this country, polling places are being closed; same-day and early voting opportunities have been eliminated; and state governments have introduced legislation to reduce opportunities for individuals to register and vote. Many of these changes will disproportionately impact communities of color, seniors, individuals who are poor and students.

“The bipartisan Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2014 is a step forward in countering discrimination in voting and should be brought to the House floor for discussion and debate. Congress must do what is necessary to overcome the current challenges we face that violate equal protection for every individual under the law. In the spirit of Freedom Summer, and all that was done to help this country realize its promise, we must not let any voter discrimination effort prevail.”

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