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The Progressive

NewsWire

A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
NAACP
Contact: Phone: (202) 463-2940,Email:,washingtonbureau@naacpnet.org

NAACP Statement on Passing of Civil Rights Leader Amelia Boynton Robinson

The NAACP family is saddened at the passing of civil rights activist and freedom fighter Amelia Boynton Robinson at the age of 104. Ms. Boynton Robinson, often referred to as the matriarch of the voting rights movement, was the first female Democratic candidate from Alabama to run for a seat in Congress. One of the organizers of the 1965 Montgomery to Selma march, she was attacked by state troopers while crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama. Fifty years after "Bloody Sunday," Ms.

BALTIMORE, MD

The NAACP family is saddened at the passing of civil rights activist and freedom fighter Amelia Boynton Robinson at the age of 104. Ms. Boynton Robinson, often referred to as the matriarch of the voting rights movement, was the first female Democratic candidate from Alabama to run for a seat in Congress. One of the organizers of the 1965 Montgomery to Selma march, she was attacked by state troopers while crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama. Fifty years after "Bloody Sunday," Ms. Boynton Robinson was pushed in a wheelchair across that same bridge and held the hand of President Barack Obama as she attended a commemoration ceremony earlier this year.

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"Less than a month ago, I stood on the steps of Amelia Boynton's former home in Selma as we launched our 860 mile America's Journey for Justice," said Cornell William Brooks, president and CEO of the NAACP. "Ms. Boynton had the courage of conviction to stand and stare into the ugly face of hateful violence and yet see a better and beautiful America--even as she was beaten on a bridge on a sabbath called Bloody Sunday. Through both bloodied sacrifice and bold leadership, Ms. Boynton helped pass national legislation that prohibited voter discrimination for 50 years. As I march, I dedicate my miles to Ms. Boynton and honor her legacy by remaining steadfast in our commitment to ensure that our fundamental right to vote is returned to its former strength, and that everyone has the ability to participate in our democracy."

"Amelia Boynton was a woman of faith who dedicated her life to empowering people, and her work for civil rights came after decades spent fighting for women's suffrage," said Roslyn M. Brock, chairman of the NAACP. "Her strength and perseverance were an inspiration that brought the civil rights movement to Selma. Ms. Boynton believed that everyone had the responsibility to oppose injustice and conquer prejudice. Her presence will be missed but her legacy of courage and unifying people for the greater good remains an example for us all."

Founded Feb. 12. 1909, the NAACP is the nation's oldest, largest and most widely recognized grassroots-based civil rights organization. Its more than half-million members and supporters throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities, conducting voter mobilization and monitoring equal opportunity in the public and private sectors.