Attorney General Ellison: ‘Those of us who believe in liberty and justice for all can never stop’
Issues statement on 60th anniversary of historic March on Washington: the ‘victories for progress’ that the March pushed forward are ‘under attack 60 years later’
‘If we don’t have equal rights for everyone, then everyone’s rights are under threat’
August 28, 2023 (SAINT PAUL) — Today marks the 60th anniversary of the historic March on Washington. Today also marks the 68th anniversary of the abduction, torture, and lynching of 14-year-old Emmett Till, which sparked an upsurge in activism that became the Civil Rights movement. Minnesota Attorney General Keth Ellison released the following statement:
When Americans of all colors and faiths and cultures came together 60 years ago today for the historic March on Washington, we didn’t yet have the 1964 Civil Rights Act guaranteeing equality in public accommodation and employment. We didn’t yet have the 1965 Voting Rights Act. We didn’t yet have the 1965 Older Americans Act or the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act or the 1965 Social Security Act that began Medicaid and Medicare or the 1968 Fair Housing Act. At the time of the March on Washington, all those victories for progress were in the future. The March pushed them forward.
As a result of the tremendous efforts of the many brave people who organized the March and the many brave people who fought for these laws before and after it, Americans can enjoy the benefits of these victories in 2023. Yet these victories are also under attack 60 years later.
In 2013, the Supreme Court severely damaged the Voting Rights Act. More recently, it has set back affirmative action, women’s rights to bodily autonomy, LGBTQ people’s rights to public accommodation, and more. If we don’t have equal rights for everyone, then everyone’s rights are under threat.
These rights are not only under legal attack, they’re under violent attack. We’ve seen racially based homicides in Jacksonville, El Paso, Buffalo, and too many other places. We’ve seen a so-called “goon squad” plead guilty to torturing Black people in Mississippi. We’ve seen violent, even deadly, attacks on synagogues, mosques, and churches.
As a people, we must understand that the toxic rhetoric of some politicians and other so-called leaders greenlights and contributes to these hateful attacks. It’s dangerous and harmful and we must demand they stop.
I agree with the theme of yesterday’s march in Washington: “Not a commemoration, a continuation.” Now is the time for recommitment, rededication, and renewal. The people who didn’t want others to have equal rights to vote, work, do business, or just live never stopped fighting to take away a more inclusive America. Those of us who believe in liberty and justice for all can never stop, either.
