EMILYs List Statement on the 60th Anniversary of the March on Washington
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today marks the 60th anniversary of the historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Designed to focus on civil rights abuses, employment discrimination, and support for the Civil Rights Act, it represented a collaboration amongst powerful civil and social rights organizations. EMILYs List President Laphonza Butler released the following statement recognizing the anniversary:
“On this day 60 years ago, the leaders of the Civil Rights Movement marched on Washington D.C. to demand change. The passionate words of leaders like Daisy Lee Bates, who gave brief remarks, actress and activist Ruby Dee, who emceed parts of the program, and through the extraordinary actions of activists like Rosa Parks, Dorothy Height and many others, a message was delivered — racial and social justice could not be achieved without access to fundamental freedoms like voting for all Americans. They presented their vision for a more equitable future, supported by more than 250,000 people.”
“EMILYs List is proud to partner with the organizations that sustain the mission as we work to elect Democratic pro-choice women who are championing true equity at every level of government. The March on Washington is enduring proof that there is power in numbers. That when the majority of Americans come together, great things can happen. Sixty years later, this anniversary march is not a commemoration, instead it is a continuation of the journey towards freedom. We must all do the work to enshrine the fundamental freedoms that those before us fought so hard to achieve.”
EMILYs List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, works to elect Democratic pro-choice women up and down the ballot and across the country with a goal of fighting for our rights and our communities. Our work is centered around a fundamental vision: Run. Win. Change the World. EMILYs List has raised $850 million in service to that vision and has helped Democratic women win competitive elections by recruiting and training candidates, supporting and helping build strong campaigns, researching the issues that impact women and families, running one of the largest independent expenditure operations for Democrats, and turning out women voters to the polls. Since our founding in 1985, we have helped elect the country’s first woman as vice president, 175 women to the House, 26 to the Senate, 20 governors, and over 1,500 women to state and local office. More than 40% of the candidates EMILYs List has helped elect to Congress have been women of color. Visit www.emilyslist.org for more information.
