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Breaking News from America's Progressive Community... Latest Releases
Making news?
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| SEPTEMBER
30, 1998 4:25 PM FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: NAACP Sheila Douglas -- (410) 486-9227 |
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| NAACP's Supreme Court Protest Gains Momentum; Supporting Organizations Echo Demand | ||||
| BALTIMORE,
MD - September 30 - The mass demonstration to protest the "hypocritical record in
hiring minority clerks" of the Justices for the United States Supreme Court to be led
by NAACP President & CEO Kweisi Mfume is gaining momentum. The demonstration will be held Monday October 5, 1998 at 9:00 A.M. in front of the U.S. Supreme Court at 1st Street, N.E. between Maryland Avenue N.E. & East Capitol Street N.E. Washington, D.C. President Mfume said, "the fact that the nine justices who sit on the highest court in the land do not practice equal opportunity exposes a great deal of hypocrisy. By not hiring more people of color, the Supreme Court is reducing opportunities and increasing the pain index for minorities." Since the announcement of the protest, numerous national organizations including labor & trade, religious, and legal advocacy groups have contacted the NAACP to show support as well as pledge participation on the day of the rally. Native American Rights Fund Executive Director John Echo-Hawk will join the demonstration to denounce the hypocrisy of the Supreme Court. "I am coming to Washington, D.C. to stand by Mr. Mfume to address this injustice", said Echo-Hawk. Representatives from the United Mine
Workers also plan to attend. A delegation from the National Bar Association, the Hispanic
National Bar Association, the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association and the
Native American Bar Association will also join the NAACP at the protest. For the second year in a row, no African Americans were hired as clerks. The current justices have hired only 7 Blacks of a total of 428 clerks. Also, only 1% hired were Latino, 4% Asian and no Native Americans have ever received a clerkship. Only one-fourth of the clerks hired were women. ### |
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