JUNE 19, 2013
3A
ARKANSAS NAACP CIVIL RIGHTS FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE REPORT CARD 112th Congress 2011– 2012 The votes reflected on
The NAACP recently released
House
NAACP priorities which came
NAACP members, and other
the report card cover
before the House and Senate
Americans, on civil rights
all five of our “game
in the 112th Congress,” said
votes of critical importance to
changers”:
criminal
Hilary O. Shelton, the Direc-
the African American commu-
justice, economic de-
tor of the NAACP Washing-
nity and other friends of civil
velopment, education,
ton Bureau and the Senior
rights.
health care and voting
Vice President for Policy and
rights. There were 26
Advocacy. Since 1914, the
votes on the floor of
NAACP Legislative Report
Dale Charles, President
the U.S. Senate over
Card has presented a summa-
Arkansas State NAACP
the two-year time pe-
tion of key civil rights votes
(501) 376-2227
riod and 31 votes be-
taken in the U.S. Senate and
fore the entire U.S.
House of Representatives. It is
of
Representatives
designed to provide NAACP
Founded in 1909, the NAACP
its Civil Rights Federal Legis-
which were shown. Only re-
members with insight into the
is the nation's oldest and larg-
lative Report Card showing
corded votes which occur in
general voting patterns of
est civil rights organization.
how all 435 members of the
the full House or Senate are
their congressional representa-
Its members throughout the
U.S. House of Representatives
reflected in the report card;
tives over the course of the
United States and the world
and 100 members of the U.S.
committee votes, votes that
legislative session, and is in-
are the premier advocates for
Senate voted on issues impor-
were determined by unani-
tended to be used as a non-
civil rights in their communi-
tant to the NAACP in the
mous consent, and voice votes
partisan educational tool. In-
ties, conducting voter mobili-
112th Congress. Specifically,
are not shown.
formation contained within
zation and monitoring equal
the report card lets our mem-
“This report card demon-
the Report Card is intended to
opportunity in the public and
bers know how their federally
strates how Members of the
be useful in efforts to educate
private sectors. The NAACP is
elected
offi-
U.S. House and Senate voted
a 501c3 non-partisan organi-
cials represented them in 2011
on the bread-and-butter civil
zation.
and 2012.
rights
Congressional
THE LITTLE ROCK SUN – 100% Black-Owned 1 Year - $30.00 2 Years - $50.00
Continued form 1A
Integration Crisis, they were
Daisy Gatson Bates has been
already noted civil rights ad-
described as an unlikely and
vocates. Like the women she
unexpected civil rights leader.
admired, such as Rosa Parks,
While nothing in this beautiful
First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt,
and petite young woman’s
and fellow publisher-crusader
past
future
Ida B. Wells-Barnett, Daisy
marked by leadership –In fact,
was a courageous trailblazer.
her past would have pointed to
Few historians include in her
just the opposite—the truth is,
biography, the fact that her
it was her past that marked her
first test in the civil rights
for leadership.
It was her
arena was her instrumental
deep passion for justice and
role in the desegregation of
equality that would instruct
the Little Rock city bus sys-
the rest of her life. Daisy Gat-
tem in 1956. It was after that
son Bates was a history maker
courageous effort that she was
before the term was coined; a
recognized as a force in Ar-
leader during the worst of
kansas’ civil rights struggle;
times for Blacks or women.
eventually taking the helm of
Even before she and L.C.
the historical 1957 integration
played such pivotal roles in
Crisis of Little Rock Central
the 1957 Central High School
High.
Juneteenth, celebrated on June
the celebration included a
19th, is the name given to
prayer service, speakers with
emancipation day by African-
inspirational messages, read-
Americans in Texas. On that
ing of the emancipation proc-
day in 1865 Union Major-
lamation, stories from former
General Gordon Granger read
slaves, food, red soda water,
General Orders, No.3 to the
games, rodeos and dances.
people of Galveston. It stated
The celebration of June 19 as
"The people of Texas are in-
emancipation day spread from
formed that, in accordance
Texas
with a proclamation from the
states of Louisiana, Arkansas
Executive
and Oklahoma.
pointed
of
to
a
the
United
to
the
neighboring It has also
States, all slaves are free. This
appeared in Alabama, Florida,
involves an absolute equality
and California as African-
of personal rights and rights of
American Texans migrated. In
property between former mas-
many parts of Texas, ex-
ters and slaves, and the con-
slaves
nection
existing
"emancipation grounds," for
between them becomes that
the Juneteenth gathering. Ex-
between employer and hired
amples include: Emancipation
labor. The freedmen are ad-
Park in Houston, purchased in
vised to remain quietly at their
1872; what is now Booker T.
present homes and work for
Washington Park in Mexia;
wages. They are informed that
and Emancipation park in East
they will not be allowed to
Austin.Celebration
collect at military posts and
Juneteenth
that they will not be supported
World War II but revived in
in idleness either there or else-
1950 at the Texas State Fair
where." Large celebrations on
Grounds in Dallas. Interest
June 19 began in 1866 and
and participation fell away
continued regularly into the
during the late 1950's and
early 20th century. The Afri-
1960's as attention focused on
can-Americans
this
expansion of freedom for Af-
day like the Fourth of July and
rican-Americans. In the 1970's
the
Juneteenth
heretofore
treated
celebrations
contained
similar events. In the early days ,
vived.
purchased
land,
declined
or
of
during
celebrations
re-