Congresswoman Barbara Lee Commemorates the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 23, 2013
Contact: Carrie Adams (202) 225-2661
Washington, D.C.— Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee released the following statement regarding the 50th anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington:
“As we celebrate and remember the great moment in our history that was the March on Washington, it is time for us as a nation to commemorate the progress we have made, but also work towards achieving a more perfect union for all. There is still much to be done.
“Fifty years ago, when I was a teenager, our country looked very different. I remember the days of segregation and Jim Crow very well: when I was a child, I wasn’t even allowed to go to public schools because they were segregated. Progress has been made, but there is still much to be done.
“African Americans have made great strides since the March on Washington: from higher achievement in academics, higher incomes, to even the number of African American elected officials, including the first African American president. But there is still much to be done.
“The rates of poverty in the African American community are far too high and the current unemployment rates are unacceptable. We must move forward: from creating jobs to investing in our youth, tackling income inequality and racism, strengthening the Voting Rights Act in the wake of the devastating Supreme Court decision, and creating a criminal justice system that is truly just.
“Dr. King’s dream wasn’t just for African Americans, but for our country and for our world. This week and every week, let us honor and remember those who fought so valiantly for justice, equality, and peace. It is my hope that as we celebrate and remember Dr. King’s dream, we rededicate ourselves to creating a society which upholds the notion that all people are created equal.”
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Follow Barbara Lee on Facebook and Twitter at @RepBarbaraLee. To learn more, visit lee.house.gov.
Congresswoman Lee is a member of the Appropriations and Budget Committees, the Steering and Policy Committee, is a Senior Democratic Whip, former chair of both the Congressional Black Caucus and Progressive Caucus. She serves as chair of the newly formed Whip’s Task Force on Poverty and Opportunity.