FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 8, 2023
Contacts:
NAN:
Rachel Noerdlinger: rnoerdlinger@actumllc.com Terence Cullen: tcullen@actumllc.com nanmedia@actumllc.com
DMI:
Michaeleen Crowell: dmi@s-3.com
NUL:
Niambé Tomlinson: ntomlinson@nul.org
NAACP:
Alicia Mercedes: amercedes@naacpnet.org
Organizers of 60th Anniversary of March on Washington Stand in Solidarity Against Hatred and War
New York, NY — The nation's leading Civil Rights organizations – the National Action Network, the National Urban League, NAACP, and Drum Major Institute – issued the following statement on the deadly terrorist attack against Israel over the weekend. The organizations stood in solidarity with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), one of the main organizers of the 60th Anniversary March on Washington this summer, which condemned the violent attacks.
The following statement can be attributed to Rev. Al Sharpton, Founder and President of the National Action Network (NAN); Martin Luther King, III, Chairman, and Arndrea Waters King, President of the Drum Major Institute (DMI); Marc Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League (NUL); and Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP:
"Today we are again witnessing the horrifying effects of violence upon innocent civilians in the Middle East. We condemn this terrorist attack on Israel in which civilians have been targeted, killed, and kidnapped. The long thread of Middle East history reaffirms that the region remains an unsettled boiling point.
We again reaffirm our commitments to one another and the certainty that throughout the world, our safety and futures are intertwined. We hold innocent civilians' families and our partners in our hearts, sharing prayers for their safety. We call on all our partners and colleagues to join us in solidarity because hatred and war must end."
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About NAACP
The NAACP advocates, agitates, and litigates for the civil rights due to Black America. Our legacy is built on the foundation of grassroots activism by the biggest civil rights pioneers of the 20th century and is sustained by 21st century activists. From classrooms and courtrooms to city halls and Congress, our network of members across the country works to secure the social and political power that will end race-based discrimination. That work is rooted in racial equity, civic engagement, and supportive policies and institutions for all marginalized people. We are committed to a world without racism where Black people enjoy equitable opportunities in thriving communities.
NOTE: The Legal Defense Fund – also referred to as the NAACP-LDF - was founded in 1940 as a part of the NAACP, but now operates as a completely separate entity.