Tell CBC superdelegates to uphold the will of the voters

Earlier this year, voters in places like Atlanta, Brooklyn, St. Louis, and Inglewood had made clear their choice for president: Barack Obama.

But we, along with our members, were puzzled by some members of the Congressional Black Caucus threatening to use their power as "superdelegates" to undermine those votes and nominate Hillary Clinton.

We believe that voters should decide elections--- not politicians. And members of the Congressional Black Caucus should amplify the political voice of their constituents, not silence it.

Over 25,000 of you signed the petition to CBC members asking them to follow the will of the people. Shortly afterwards, Rep. John Lewis, who had previously endorsed Hillary Clinton, said he would uphold the will of the people as a superdelegate. ColorOfChange.org members made an important impact on the debate about the role of superdelegates, garnering coverage from CNN and other prominent news sources.

» View the campaign page and watch CNN's coverage

Public Housing Demolitions in New Orleans

While New Orleans faced its worst housing crisis in over 100 years in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) insisted on carrying out its plan to bulldoze 4,500 units of affordable public housing, much of which could be made available to residents.

This plan will eliminate the majority of affordable public housing in the city, shutting out thousands of low-income Katrina survivors who have been fighting for over two years to return home.

Over 18,000 of you signed the petition to the New Orleans City Council asking them to halt the demolitions. Unfortunately, the Council voted to allow the demolitions to proceed.

» View the campaign page

Fight voter suppression: stop Hans von Spakovsky

Hans von Spakovsky has made a career out of suppressing the vote of minorities, most recently at the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Now Bush wants von Spakovsky to be confirmed for a seat on the Federal Election Commission (FEC), the agency in charge of enforcing election finance laws. It's an insult to Blacks, other minorities, and all who are struggling to maintain fair access to our democracy.

Please join us in calling on all members of the Senate to oppose von Spakovsky's confirmation:

» Email your senators

Save New Orleans Public Housing

New Orleans public housing residents have been blocked from returning home for over two years. The Gulf Coast Housing Recovery Act of 2007 (HR 1227 / S. 1668) would help them come home by repairing and opening thousands of minimally damaged public housing units. The bill passed in the House of Representatives, but some senators are standing in the way of the bill, supporting the interests of those who would like to see a richer, Whiter New Orleans and Gulf Coast.

Demand that your senator protect affordable housing in the Gulf Coast by supporting S. 1668 now:

» Email your senators

Justice for the Jena 6

The lives of six young black men are being ruined by Jim Crow justice in Jena, Louisiana.

The District Attorney has refused to protect the rights of Jena's Black population and has turned the police and courts into instruments of intimidation and oppression (click here for the full story).

We can help turn things around by making it a political liability for the authorities of Jena to continue the racist status quo, and by forcing the Governor of Louisiana to intervene.

» Email Governor Blanco and District Attorney Reed Walters

Stop the Genocide in Darfur

Demand Bold Action from President Bush

Since 2003, as many as 400,000 Black Africans have been killed and over 2 million have been driven from their homes. It's genocide, plain and simple, but no one is doing what's necessary to stop it. We can change that.

Speaking on the genocide in Rwanda, the late Senator Paul Simon said, "If every member of the House and Senate had received 100 letters from people back home saying we have to do something about Rwanda, when the crisis was first developing, then I think the response would have been different."

We're hoping to get at least 100 people from each congressional district to send a letter to President Bush, urging him to push for a UN Security Council resolution which would create a peacekeeping force with the power to stop the violence. Please join us:

» Email President Bush

Dancing with the Devil

The CBC Institute should not legitimize Fox

Fox News has consistently attacked Black people, leaders, and cultural institutions. Despite this fact, the Congressional Black Caucus Institute is in negotiations with Fox to co-host presidential debates.

You can see the letter that we sent to our members, here.

Should the CBC Institute partner with Fox, it would legitimize Fox as a fair and balanced news source, effectively disregarding Fox's clearly hostile stance towards Black political interests. It runs counter to the stated goals of the Institute as well as the CBC's commitment to advocate for racial equality and justice and its desire to be considered the "conscience of Congress."

UPDATE: After hearing from thousands of ColorOfChange.org members, the leading Democratic presidential candidates refused to attend the debate on Fox, and the CBC Institute was forced to cancel the debate.

» View the campaign page

Protect New Orleans public housing

Demand Vitter and Landrieu lead on HR 1227

New Orleans public housing residents have been blocked from returning home for almost two years. HR 1227, which would help them come home by repairing and opening thousands of minimally damaged public housing units, has passed in the House of Representatives. Unfortunately, the senators from Louisiana are dragging their feet on this bill, and without their leadership it will die in the Senate.

UPDATE: The bill is now in the Senate (with Senator Landrieu as a consponsor), but is in danger of dying, because Senator Vitter is standing in its way. Ask your senator to support the bill here.

» View the old campaign page
» Ask your senator to support S. 1668 (updated campaign page)

Free Genarlow Wilson

Genarlow Wilson remains in prison for a victimless crime: participating in consensual oral sex with a 15 year old when he was 17. Just after a Superior Court Judge voided his conviction, Georgia State Attorney General Thurbert Baker appealed the ruling over the outcry of thousands of Americans, with no reasonable justification.

Keeping Wilson in prison does nothing to keep Georgia safe. It simply continues the unnecessary destruction of a young man's life. Join us in demanding that Baker withdraw his appeal now.

UPDATE: Genarlow Wilson is now free! The Georgia State Supreme Court upheld the earlier court decision which voided Wilson's sentence, calling "cruel and unusual" punishment.

» View the campaign page

Don't Let Lieberman Give
Bush a Pass on Katrina

Ten months ago, Senator Joe Lieberman blasted the White House for obstructing a Senate committee's investigation into the federal response to Katrina. Now he controls that committee, but instead of forcing the White House to participate, he's called off the investigation altogether!

Lieberman is side-stepping his responsibility to hold the White House accountable and betraying the citizens of the Gulf Coast. Join us in calling him out and demanding that others in Congress conduct a full investigation if he won't:

» View the campaign page

Stop HUD from suing Katrina survivors

Stand with residents fighting to save New Orleans' public housing

Instead of helping displaced Katrina survivors return to their homes in New Orleans, HUD has repeatedly gone out of its way to keep them out.

After residents of the St. Bernard Housing Development returned home to clean up and reoccupy their apartments--units which have proven to be livable--HUD (Department of Housing and Urban Development) responded with a lawsuit. HUD claims that residents are "damaging" the units and is not only asking a judge to throw the residents out, but is seeking monetary damages against them! It's unbelievable and shameful.

Help the residents who are standing up for their housing rights, today, by calling on HUD to drop its lawsuit and asking Congress to investigate HUD's plans to destroy public housing in New Orleans.

» View the campaign page

Who Will Police the Police?

Demand an independent investigation into the death of Sean Bell

On the morning of November 26, Sean Bell was supposed to be getting prepared for his wedding. Instead, he was zipped into a body bag after being shot to death by New York City police.

It's a tragedy we've witnessed too many times--an unarmed young Black man killed by the police in a senseless barrage of gunfire. History has shown that District Attorneys' offices are too close to the police to investigate them. Please join us in calling for the appointment of an independent special prosecutor to investigate the Bell case, with no ties to New York City law enforcement. Your letter will be sent to Mayor Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Kelly. After you send it, please ask your friends and family to do the same.

» Email Mayor Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Kelly

Stop the Attack on Affirmative Action

Help make sure voters know the truth about Proposal 2

In November, the deceptively titled "Michigan Civil Rights Initiative" will be on Michigan's ballot as Proposal 2. If passed, it would end affirmative action in Michigan, making it the third state to fall victim to a nationwide anti-affirmative action campaign run by Ward Connerly--a Black conservative who wants to abolish affirmative action across the country. Connerly is backed by ultra-right funders, and in Michigan, his campaign is driven by deception. Connerly's group lied to petition signers to get Prop. 2 on the ballot, telling them that it supports affirmative action, when it does the opposite.

We can stop Connerly, but it means doing what we can to make sure Michigan voters know the truth about Proposal 2. Can you make few phone calls to help inform Michigan voters? Our phone-banking tool makes it easy--we'll provide you with a script, names, and phone numbers.

» View the campaign page

Stop the Attack on Voting Rights

Don't Let a new law disenfranchise millions

Republicans in Congress are trying to ram through a bill that would require voters in federal elections to show a government-issued photo ID, under the guise of preventing fraud. There's virtually no evidence that the kind of fraud this bill would prevent even exists. The only predictable effect is that voting would become impractical for millions of Americans who don't have such ID--the elderly and the poor--and, as a result, many of them will choose to simply not vote.

Suppressing the vote is anti-democratic and un-American. Please join us in calling on all members of Congress to reject HR 4844. Then please ask your friends and family to do the same.

» View the campaign page

Support Donna Edwards

Black America needs an advocate, not a Bush rubber-stamp

There is a real problem in Washington with Black politicians who are on the wrong side of issues that affect Black Americans. Congressman Al Wynn -- a Black Democrat representing Maryland's 4th district -- is a perfect example. Wynn has voted against the interests of his Black constituents on many occasions, siding instead with big business and the wealthy special interests who have helped keep him in office with their campaign contributions.

ColorOfChange.org PAC endorsed Donna Edwards -- a powerful advocate for policies that help the Black community -- in her primary challenge to Congressman Al Wynn. ColorOfChange.org members donated $6,961 to the Edwards campaign, and while Edwards narrowly lost, she came much closer than anyone thought she could. By mounting such a serious campaign, Edwards has brought accountability to a district which has been safe for Wynn until now. Al Wynn should watch his back in '08.

» Visit the fundraising page

"When the Levees Broke" Screening

Host or attend a viewing party

From now through September, Spike Lee's new documentary, "When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts," will air on HBO. The film resonated deeply with an audience of 8,000 Katrina survivors when it premiered a few weeks ago in New Orleans. It's a film every American should see.

Lots of folks who want to see it don't have HBO, so MoveOn.org Civic Action and ColorofChange partnered to set up screenings throughout September so everyone has a chance to see this important film.

» View the sign-up page

Racism has no place in the Senate

Call on the RNC to withdraw its support for Senator Allen

It may be okay in George Allen's America to demean someone based on their ethnicity. But it's not okay in ours. Senator Allen's recent behavior--both his words and his refusal to come clean and truly apologize--has no place in American politics. He should step down.

Unless the Republican Party shares Allen's ideology, they should drop their support for his Senate race and identify a candidate that believes racism and ethnocentrism aren't American Values. Join us in calling on the Republican National Committee to withdraw its support of Sen. Allen immediately.

» View the campaign page

No White Supremacists in the U.S. Military

Demand a zero-tolerance policy now

To meet wartime manpower goals, military recruiters and commanding officers have been relaxing standards designed to weed out racist extremists, and letting them join or stay in the military. Meanwhile, white supremacist organizations are encouraging their members to join so that they can receive the best military training in the world, in preparation for a race war.

This is insane, and it has to stop now. Please take a moment to ask your representative to join Reps. Artur Davis and Eliot Engel in calling on Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld to immediately adopt a clear, strict zero-tolerance policy towards racist extremism in the military and conduct a full investigation into the problem.

» View the campaign page

Demand the Senate Protect Voting Rights

Reauthorize the Voting Rights Act

The recent attack on the Voting Rights Act (VRA) by a small group of Southern Republicans failed today, but it's just one step in what's going to be a long-term fight.

It's vital that we strongly respond to such attacks--to make sure those who seek to undermine our voting rights think twice. The NAACP has provided an excellent opportunity: next week, they'll send 2,000 volunteers to Capitol Hill to push for reauthorization of the VRA in the Senate. They'll deliver petitions from our members, along with folks from MoveOn.org, People for the American Way, and other organizations.

Please join us in supporting their effort and demonstrating our collective political strength.

» View the campaign page

Stop Ohio from Suppressing the Black Vote

Ohio's Secretary of State, Kenneth Blackwell, along with other Republicans in the state legislature, recently implemented a scheme that will make it much harder for groups that register Black and low-income voters to do their work.

On June 26th, the Ohio Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review will review Blackwell's plan. Please join us, along with People for the American Way, in calling on JCARR to stop this anti-democratic scheme in its tracks.

Please take a moment to tell your senator to pass an extension of disaster unemployment assistance immediately:

» View the campaign page

Support those still struggling

Ask your senators to protect assistance for those left jobless by Katrina & Rita

On June 4th, unemployment assistance expired for 83,000 workers who lost their jobs to hurricanes Katrina and Rita, because Congress failed to extend those benefits before taking a one week paid vacation.

Congress can still extend those benefits, and several Republicans and Democrats have pushed to continue the assistance, but a group of senators is trying to block the extension because they assume these folks are lazy. It's insulting and out of touch. They need to hear that this is unacceptable, and senators of good conscience need to stand up for those in from the Gulf that are still at risk.

Please take a moment to tell your senator to pass an extension of disaster unemployment assistance immediately:

» View the campaign page

Insist that FEMA do its job

Prevent it from dropping housing assistance to eligible Katrina survivors

Last month FEMA started denying long-term housing assistance to evacuees who by its own standards should have been found eligible. After being presented with evidence, FEMA acknowledged the problem but made no guarantee that it would fix it, or that those unfairly denied would have a chance to qualify for long-term assistance.

We're calling on FEMA to extend short-term housing assistance until the problem can be fixed, and to ensure that all evacuees who were denied assistance have a fair chance at qualifying. Please join us:

» View the campaign page

Help Run Ad Calling Out Gov. Blanco

For Selling out Displaced New Orleanians

We're stepping up our efforts to defend Katrina survivors' rights by running a full-page ad that publicly shames Blanco for failing to defend the voting rights of displaced Katrina survivors. The ad also sends a strong message to other politicians who are standing in the way of satellite voting.

» View the Ad

Protect Voting Rights for Katrina Survivors

Demand Satellite Voting for New Orleans' Mayoral Election

On April 22nd, New Orleans will hold it's first mayoral election since the storm. Everyone watching knows what will happen if elections go forward without a change--the Black vote will be suppressed and the ability for Black New Orleanians to claim their future compromised.

During Iraq's election, the U.S. government provided polling places in U.S. cities with large numbers of Iraqi-Americans. Why won't it do the same for thousands of mostly Black displaced New Orleanians?

Please join us in calling on Governor Blanco to protect the voting rights of Katrina survivors by demanding satellite voting and, if necessary, postponing the election to do so:

» View the campaign page

Tell Congress: Censure Bush

Bush lied. And now there's proof.

Video just released by the Associated Press shows that the day before Hurricane Katrina hit, experts personally warned Bush about the coming disaster. He knew about the levees, and he knew about the Superdome. But he did nothing.

Four days later, Bush maintained that the storm caught everyone by surprise, going as far as saying, "I don't think anybody could have anticipated the breach of the levees." While Bush failed to act 1,300 people died, and thousands more have suffered unimaginable trauma and loss.

This is a dereliction of duty, compounded by a sloppy attempt to mislead the public. It's time for Congress to censure the President.

» See the video
» View the campaign page

Protect Gulf Coast Workers

Extend Unemployment Assistance for Katrina Survivors

Starting March 4th, 140,000 Gulf Coast workers unemployed because of Hurricane Katrina will reach the end of their unemployment payments, unless the House of Representatives acts right away to extend them. The Senate has already passed a bill to do just that, but it won't go into effect unless the House also approves it.

Thousands of Katrina survivors are still struggling to make ends meet. It would be shameful to cut them off from what may be their only support.

Please join us in calling on our representatives to support S.1777.

» View the campaign page

Stop the Baker Bill

Call on Congress to Oppose Federally-funded Gentrification

Plans are underway that would permanently shut out Black and poor folks from New Orleans. The message from Washington is loud and clear: without a public outcry, the folks who were abandoned before Katrina will be betrayed once again.

Join us in calling on Congress and, in particular, members of the Congressional Black Caucus and the Progressive Caucus, to reject the Baker Bill and any other legislation seeks to revitalize the Gulf through gentrification, and to work actively to develop a rebuild plan that welcomes all New Orleanians who want to return home.

» View the campaign page

Alito: A Threat to Civil Rights

Call on your senators to filibuster Alito's confirmation

During his career as a judge, Alito has consistently demonstrated his hostility towards laws that ensure racial equality and protect the civil rights of Americans. If history is a guide, Alito's presence on the Supreme Court will put some of our most basic civil rights protections in jeopardy. We cannot afford to let this happen.

Join us in calling on all senators who value civil rights protections to do everything in their power to stop Alito's confirmation:

» View the campaign page

Tell CNN Not To Hire Bill Bennett

Keep Racist Lies Off the Air

A few months ago, we demanded that right-wing talk show host Bill Bennett take responsibility and apologize for racist remarks he made on his national radio show. Bennett's words perpetuated the idea that Black people are part of a criminal class. Now, only a few months later, CNN is about to hire him.

We need your help in putting pressure on CNN. They haven't yet confirmed their decision, and they need to know that hiring Bill Bennett would be wrong. Please join us in telling CNN that hiring Bill Bennett would be a huge mistake.

» View this petition

Tell Congress: It's time to fight

Stop the Attack on the Poor

Just before Thanksgiving, Republicans pushed through a bill that specifically targets safety-net programs relied upon by the most vulnerable Americans. This week, they plan to introduce legislation that will further increase tax cuts for the wealthiest. Their actions are misguided, shameful, and morally bankrupt.

Join us and send a clear message to your representatives that we expect them to stand up and fight for those on the margins.

» View the campaign page

Save Tookie Williams

Call on Gov. Schwarzenegger to Grant Williams Clemency

Stanley Tookie Williams was a true asset to our community. As a co-founder of the Crips, Tookie created untold suffering and death. There is nothing romantic or glamorous about the kind of violence the Crips unleashed. But Williams took responsibility for the harm he did, and for the rest of his life, he worked to save the lives of countless young Black men. If he had been allowed to live, he would have continued to do the same.

» View this petition

An attack on the safety net

Tell Congress to protect social programs

Republicans in Congress are on the verge of doing something historic and shameful. They're using the Hurricane Katrina disaster as an excuse for cutting $50 billion from programs that serve the most vulnerable, like food stamps, Medicaid, and unemployment insurance. At the same time, they want to hand out $70 billion in tax breaks for the rich. Instead of reinforcing the safety net, they want to cut it to shreds. African-Americans and other struggling groups will be hit especially hard. It's sick, disgusting and wrong.

The politicians in Congress need to hear from us. Tell them that there must be no cuts to our essential programs, and there must be no tax breaks for the wealthy.

» View the campaign page

Black People: A Race of Criminals?

Bill Bennett must apologize or get off the air

Republican leader Bill Bennett said on his radio show that mass abortion of black fetuses would reduce crime—implying that Blacks are a criminal race. His show reaches more than 1 million listeners.

His comments have drawn rebuke from the White House, Congressional leaders and the Anti-Defamation League. But his program's distributor has been silent. Please join us in asking Salem Radio Network to pull his show off the air, until Bill Bennett apologizes for his racially offensive statements.

» View this petition

Left behind, again?

It's time to fight back for the folks in the Gulf

Rebuilding New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina will cost $200 billion. Whom do Republicans want to foot the bill? The same people—disproportionately black, poor, and elderly—who have already had to survive both the violence of the storm and the inaction of the government.

It is wrong. It is shameful. And it has to stop—now.

» View this petition