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NBJC in the News

Our Issues: Interview with the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC)
April 10, 2013

AfroPunk recently sat down with Spelman alumnus and NBJC Programs and Outreach Associate Je-ShawnaWholley to discuss the founding of the organization, influencing policy, experiences of queer Black people on Historically Black College and University as well as predominantly white college campuses, and what “queer” looks like in a modern context.

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Same-Sex Marriage Supporters Again Gather Outside Supreme Court
March 29, 2013

Several hundred same-sex marriage supporters once again gathered outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday as the justices heard oral arguments in a case that challenges the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act.
National Black Justice Coalition CEO Sharon Lettman-Hicks, Tyler Deaton of Young Conservatives for the Freedom to Marry, Alliance for Justice President Nan Aron and Earl Fowlkes of the Center for Black [Equality] are among those who spoke at a rally near the steps of the Supreme Court. Members of the Westboro Baptist Church gathered along First Street, N.E., but the vast majority of those who gathered outside the court backed nuptials for gays and lesbians.

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Marco McMillian Family, Gay Rights Advocates Call For Hate Crime Investigation
March 6, 2013

 
On Tuesday, Sharon Lettman-Hicks, head of the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), a black LGBT civil-rights group based in Washington, D.C., sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder calling for the federal government to step into the investigation.
"After speaking extensively with the family, community and anti-violence coalition members like the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP), NBJC feels the perpetuation and validation of the 'gay panic' defense is irresponsible," wrote Lettman-Hicks, who is black. "The conflicting reports as well as the current racial and anti-LGBT climate in Mississippi is justification enough for a federal investigation.

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Justice Department Urged to Investigate Marco McMillian’s Murder
March 6, 2013

The National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) is urging the U.S. Department of Justice’s Community Relations Service (CRS) and Civil Rights division to launch an investigation into the murder of Marco McMillian. The NBJC wants the agency to investigate the murder as a potential racially-motivated and/or anti-gay hate crime.

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Hate Crime Probe Sought in Miss. Slaying
March 5, 2013

A Mississippi congressman and a national civil rights group are demanding that the U.S. government investigate the slaying of openly gay, black Clarksdale mayoral candidate Marco McMillian as a hate crime.
"At the request of the family, I have asked that the FBI review the circumstances and evidence of this case to determine whether a violation of federal law has occurred and provide any necessary assistance to local and state law enforcement officials," Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson said in a statement Tuesday.
Thompson's request came just hours after the National Black Justice Coalition filed a formal request to the U.S. Department of Justice seeking the same treatment.

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Coroner Disputes Family’s Account of Mississippi Mayoral Candidate’s Death
March 5, 2013

A Mississippi mayoral candidate who was found dead last week was not killed by being beaten, burned or dragged, the coroner said on Tuesday, challenging a statement from the victim’s family that the official said was misleading. The National Black Justice Coalition, a gay rights group, called on Tuesday for the Department of Justice to investigate the killing.

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African American History Month Weekly Wrap-up
February 22, 2013

This week, to celebrate African American history month, we held events for civil, community, LGBT and business leaders here at the White House. We had wonderful discussions, highlighting ways to increase equality and opportunity for all and celebrating African American history and opportunities to pave the way forward for the next generation of leaders. These are the groups that came into the White House as part of our week’s events for African American History Month.

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President Obama Meets With Black Leaders
February 22, 2013

The White House: The President met with African American leaders yesterday in the Roosevelt Room at the White House to continue their dialogue on his plan to strengthen the economy for the middle class and continue to build ladders of opportunity for those striving to get there. The President reiterated his commitment to supporting policies that will directly impact those hardest hit by the economic crisis by making sure that America is a magnet for jobs, increasing access to job training programs, partnering with high-poverty communities to help them rebuild, and encouraging companies to invest in disadvantaged neighborhoods. The president also reiterated his call to reform education by expanding universal pre-K for every child as a way to significantly decrease the achievement gap.

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President Meets With African-American Leaders To Address Economic Concerns
February 22, 2013

On Thursday, President Barack Obama met with African-American leaders across various organizations to discuss and address growing concerns regarding the economic crisis that continues to grip the country. With the release of “The President’s Plan for a Strong Middle Class and a Strong America” last week, Obama’s presence at the meeting was to hammer home some fine points of the plan as it relates to Black Americans.

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Obama Meets with African American Leaders
February 22, 2013

President Obama dropped in on a meeting with African American leaders at the White House Thursday to discuss his "plan to strengthen the economy for the middle class and continue to build ladders of opportunity for those striving to get there," the White House said. Among the attendees were the Rev. Al Sharpton, NAACP president Ben Jealous, and Avis Jones-DeWeever, executive director of the National Council of Negro Women.

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