Welcome to the ACLU of Mississippi

News > Events

This is our space for further information about upcoming ACLU of Mississippi events.

Jan 2007 Feb 2007 Mar 2007 Apr 2007 May 2007 June 2007

July 2007 Aug 2007 Sept 2007 Oct 2007 Nov 2007 Dec 2007

< January 2007 >

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

1/9/07:

Leave no Mississippian Behind -by Nsombi Lambright, Executive Director

The ACLU supports the work of the Mississippi Delta Catalyst Roundtable for full funding of the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP). Fully funding education should be a no-brainer. Students have to have the resources to compete effectively in today’s technologically-advanced society.

As a 1990 graduate of the Jackson Public School (JPS) District, I experienced the benefit of a quality education. Although the district didn’t have adequate resources, there was very little high stakes testing, therefore, teachers had the ability to engage students in creative learning activities that included field trips and reading outside of the curriculum. As a parent of a JPS student, it’s painful to observe him struggling to meet rigid accountability standards through high stakes testing, while experiencing fewer resources to help him to meet these standards.

The Mississippi Delta Catalyst Roundtable is a coalition of active parents, students and community stakeholders working to support good Mississippi schools. Let’s take these petitions seriously and end the institutional undervaluing of parents and students. Parents and students do care about education! They do want to participate in the educational system! Let’s allow that to happen.

Fully fund education and stop leaving Mississippi behind!!

Education is a human right. Article 26 of the Declaration of Human Rights states, “Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory.”

< February 2007 >

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

2/13/07:

ACLU OUTRAGED IN THE IRRESPONSIBLE ACTION OF MISSISSIPPI SENATE

Jackson, MS-- The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of MS is outraged by the recent vote of the Mississippi State Senate to ban abortions in the state.

Senate Bill 2795 makes abortions illegal in the state of Mississippi with the exception of cases of rape, incest or a serious health condition that threatens the life of the mother. However, incidents of rape or incest have to be reported and there may be special medical conditions that do not immediately put a women’s life at danger, but do place serious health risks on the mother and child. Women who are raped and don’t report it or women who are not at risk of immediate death as a result of the pregnancy would not be able to have an abortion.

Not only does a ban on abortion threaten women’s health and lives, it is unconstitutional and will be challenged in court. Under current Supreme Court precedent, a ban on abortion will be struck down.

“The State of Mississippi can not afford a legal challenge of this magnitude, and it was very irresponsible of our lawmakers to pass this unconstitutional and dangerous bill,”, said Nsombi Lambright, Executive Director of the ACLU of MS.

We should not be focusing our efforts on banning abortion, but on ensuring that women have access to the full range of reproductive health services, including contraception, medically accurate sexuality education, and abortion.

The decision of whether or not to have a child is among the most fundamental and private decisions a person can make. When government interferes with this decision we have lost the very foundation of our humanity and our rights as Americans.

The ACLU of MS will continue its work to protect a women’s right to access reproductive health care through the MS Reproductive Freedom Coalition, a group of organizations and activists, fighting to ensure that individuals have access to reproductive health care, including comprehensive sex education, contraception and abortion.

We call on lawmakers in the House to recognize that this legislation threatens women’s health and lives, and to vote against SB 2795.

Contact information for other Pro-Choice Advocates:

Michelle Colon, President, Jackson area NOW (National Organization for Women) 601- 454-0984

2/15/07:ACLU Continues To Call For Accountability Within Our City Government

The ACLU is urging Judge Tommie Green to hold a revocation hearing to review the possible probation violations of Jackson Mayor Frank Melton. Mayor Melton seemingly continues to violate the terms of his probation and is not being held accountable by the judicial system.

The Hinds County Justice system should not set different standards for elected officials who violate the law. There are hundreds of ordinary citizens in Mississippi jails due to probation/parole violations, who do not get a second chance. To establish different standards because of status is not fair and contrary to the principle that no one is above the law. Mayor Melton should be held accountable.

This on-going acceptance of Mayor Melton’s disregard for the law sets a terrible example for young people and adults who have been in trouble with the law. One of the purposes of probation and parole is to deter persons who have committed offenses from engaging in the behavior that led them to commit the offense in the first place. Yet, Mayor Melton continues to engage in the same tactics that led to his arrest and ultimately, his conviction on gun charges.

The ACLU is urging Judge Green to treat Mayor Melton like any other citizen by holding a revocation hearing to assess his probation violations. We’re also urging Chief Shirlene Anderson to assert control of the Jackson Police Department by prohibiting civilian engagement in dangerous police work.

Mayor Melton should let the Jackson Police Department handle law enforcement work. If JPD doesn’t have the tools, skills or resources to do their jobs effectively, the citizens of Jackson should know about it so that we can advocate for better pay and more training.

< March 2007 >

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

< April 2007 >

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

< May 2007 >

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

May 31, 2007 - Town Hall Meeting - Good Deeds Center, Gulfport, MS @ 6pm

The purpose of the Town Hall tour is to hear the collective concerns of the host communities, to document stories of government misconduct, and to help communities establish restorative justice projects (such as neighborhood watches and better police oversight) in their neighborhoods. May 31st's meeting is focused on Racial Profiling and Prison Abuse. (more info coming soon!)

Come out, have your voices heard and be part of Mississippi history in the making. The Town Hall tour is scheduled from April - Fall 2007.

Click the Graphic below to download a copy of the event's flyer!

< June 2007 >

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

June 19, 2007 - Town Hall Meeting - Propst Park's Community Hut,

Columbus, MS @ 6pm

More info coming soon!

< July 2007 >

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

July 2, 2007 - Voter Registration Day - Location TBA

July 20, 2007 - 2nd Annual Freedom Party - 930 Blues Cafe @ 6pm

On behalf of the Staff, Members, and Friends of the American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi, we are proud to announce plans for our Annual Meeting. Our 2^nd Annual Freedom Party is Friday, July 20^th, 2007 from 6:00pm - 10:00pm. Activities include speakers, food, live music and fun. This event will be 930 Blues Café, located at 930 Congress Street in Jackson, MS. Last year’s Extravaganza pulled in nearly 200 participants, vendors, donors and partners in what proved to be a very lively and festive summer atmosphere. This year we intend to make the Freedom Extravaganza bigger and better than before through more diverse entertainment, more vendors and more exposure of the event.

Click below for a look at the flyer, to get more event information & vendor/artist application go to http://freedomparty.msaclu.org

July 28, 2007 - HipHop Festival - Holmes Hall, Tougaloo College @ 9am

Youth-led Mississippi Coalition Uses Hip-Hop Festival as Medium for Developing Statewide Youth Political Agenda

For more information call: 601-354-3408, 601-573-3978 or 601-543-9600

Jackson, MS – On Saturday July 28, 2007, youth organizations from across the State will participate in the first annual Mississippi Youth Hip-Hop Festival to begin the process of developing the state’s first youth political agenda. Young people will share their concerns and recommendations about race relations, the public education system, how they are portrayed in the media and other topics.

Conference organizers decided to focus on hip hop since this popular music genre serves as the voice for today’s teens. The event will take place at Tougaloo College’s Holmes Hall from 9am-11pm; the Festival is expecting some 50 participants from nearly two dozen youth-based organizations, coalitions and programs statewide. The Coordinating committee youth and adults prepared a schedule of activities that will include workshop sessions, musical performances, organizational tables and more. Food will be served and admission is free.

The main workshop will look at the historical context of hip-hop and analyze its importance to current youth-related issues. Other workshops include Conflict Resolution, Know Your Rights In School, Hip Hop: Perception vs. Reality.

The event will conclude after a concert with local Hip-Hop artists and dance troupes, such as Kamikaze, Skipp Coon, M.U.G.A.B.E.E., Trillogy and others. For more information call 601-354-3408, email at hiphopfest@msaclu.org or visit http://hiphopfest.msaclu.org.

Organizational sponsors/partners include: ACLU of Mississippi, Alternate Roots, M.A.P. Coalition and the Highlander Center

< August 2007 >

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

August 20, 2007

ACLU Report Exposes Ongoing Civil and Human Rights Violations on the Gulf Coast as Katrina’s Second Anniversary Nears

Group Calls on Government Officials to Take Concrete Steps to Protect Storm Victims and Prevent Further Abuse

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 20, 2007

CONTACT: Jody Kent, ACLU National Prison Project (202) 577-6527, jkent@npp-aclu.org or media@aclu.org

NEW ORLEANS - The American Civil Liberties Union today released a report revealing continuing incidents of racial injustice and human rights abuses on the Gulf Coast since Hurricane Katrina devastated the area two years ago. In its report, Broken Promises: Two Years After Katrina, the ACLU exposes numerous civil rights violations that have occurred in Louisiana and Mississippi since the storm, including reports of heightened racially motivated police activity, housing discrimination, and prisoner abuse.

“Two years ago, Americans were glued to their television sets, outraged at the images of poor people of color cast aside in the aftermath of Katrina,” said Anthony D. Romero, Executive Director of the ACLU. “Politicians made promises, but they failed to fix the problems that Katrina’s fury made painfully clear. The government must be held accountable for its mistakes rather than allowed to perpetuate the systemic racism and discrimination that only added strength to the storm.”

In light of its findings, the ACLU calls on Congress to pass legislation to address post-Katrina injustices, including racial profiling, voter disenfranchisement, and the dearth of health care facilities and low-income housing. The ACLU also calls on the Department of Justice to investigate severe problems at Orleans Parish Prison (OPP), the New Orleans jail system where prisoners were abandoned during the storm. Today, OPP is plagued by inhumane and dangerous conditions, inadequate medical and mental health care, and lack of preparedness for possible future storms. The ACLU says that government officials must implement a thorough evacuation plan for OPP and provide funding to a severely understaffed public defender system.

Broken Promises poignantly describes personal accounts of people who were victimized in Katrina’s aftermath. In one case, Steven Elloie, an African-American bar manager, was brutally beaten and tasered by New Orleans police officers after they illegally searched the premises and harassed patrons at his family-owned bar in Central City, a predominantly African-American neighborhood. Despite the fact that he suffered severe injuries, the police officers brought Elloie to the OPP where he was turned away and directed to the hospital to receive treatment for trauma to his head, body, and extremities. Charges against Elloie of resisting arrest and battery against an officer were eventually dropped, but Elloie’s complaint against the police officers was “not sustained” despite numerous witness accounts that were consistent with Elloie’s claims. The ACLU filed a lawsuit on behalf of Elloie against the city of New Orleans in June 2007.

“Since the storm, the ACLU has seen an increase in complaints about police abuse, neglect of prisoners, and racial discrimination,” said Reggie Shuford, a senior staff attorney for the ACLU’s Racial Justice Project. “Sadly, horrific stories like Mr. Elloie’s are not uncommon.”

The ACLU report also describes a case where the ACLU intervened on behalf of two displaced families from New Orleans whose children were discriminated against by local schools and law enforcement in Mississippi. It also highlights the ongoing housing crisis on the Gulf Coast and the work of the ACLU of Mississippi to advocate for more transparency in the way that governmental funds are being distributed.

“As the housing crisis continues on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, hundreds of families who remain in FEMA trailer parks are being evicted,” said Nsombi Lambright, Executive Director of the ACLU of Mississippi. “Citizens are being denied access to the planning process to rebuild affordable housing on the Gulf Coast, while wealthy developers have been able to build new condos and casinos with ease.”

In addition to discrimination and abuse on the streets, violence and neglect run rampant behind the walls of the jails, according to the ACLU report. Some conditions in OPP have even worsened since last year when the ACLU released another report, Abandoned & Abused: Orleans Parish Prisoners in the Wake of Hurricane Katrina, about the treatment of OPP’s prisoners before, during, and after the storm. The House of Detention, the largest of four jail buildings reopened since the storm, is severely overcrowded and conditions are squalid. Prisoners are forced to sleep on the floor without mattresses for weeks at a time in areas where up to 18 prisoners are held in cells designed for 10 people. There is no air-conditioning in most of the overcrowded facility despite excessive heat. These inhumane and dangerous conditions are exacerbated by severe understaffing at the jail.

“Conditions in the New Orleans jails are among the worst in the nation,” said Eric Balaban, senior staff counsel for the ACLU’s National Prison Project. “The lives of staff and inmates in the House of Detention are constantly in danger because of its outmoded design, lack of staffing, and neglect by the sheriff to ensure the facility is prepared for an emergency.”

According to the ACLU report, medical and mental health services at the jails are grossly inadequate. There reportedly have been several recent outbreaks of “staph” infections, a highly contagious and potentially fatal disease caused by filth and unsanitary conditions, and efforts to provide treatment are deficient. Prisoners who are identified as needing mental health care after being taken into custody have been sent to a unit where they are strapped down to a bed in five-point restraints. The ACLU has received reports of prisoners being left there, largely unsupervised, for days at a time without any breaks, even to use the restroom. The ACLU describes in its report one case where a prisoner was restrained to a bed covered in a brown substance that appeared to be blood or feces, and was forced to twist his body to urinate on the floor next to him while confined to the table at his feet, wrists, and head.

“Since the storm, the solution to mental health problems in New Orleans has been to just ‘lock them up,’” said Katie Schwartzmann, a staff attorney for the ACLU of Louisiana. “There are very few mental health services left in this city, and therefore people are going to jail, where they are subjected to abuse and neglect, because of their mental illness.”

The ACLU report includes personal accounts from former prisoners, evacuees, and local advocates who have endured or witnessed the chaos since the storm.

A copy of the report and video testimonials are available online at: www.aclu.org/brokenpromises.

8/20/07: MS Disaster Relief Coalition Marches at American Red Cross Jackson Office

Jackson, MS-- On Monday, August 20^th at 8:00 a.m., Hurricane Katrina Survivors will march at American Red Cross offices, 875 Riverside Drive, to demand accountability for the billons of dollars that the American Red Cross received after Hurricane Katrina.

Members of the Mississippi Disaster Relief Coalition, a group of hurricane survivors from New Orleans who relocated to Jackson after the storm, are marching to have their voices heard because they feel that they are not receiving adequate services from the agency. Attached is a statement from the group.

The ACLU of MS supports the efforts of the Mississippi Disaster Relief Coalition to demand justice in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. As families struggle to rebuild their lives after losing everything, access to governmental and charitable resources is critical. Billions of dollars were raised from hardworking citizens who believed they were giving to people displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. According to many displaced families, there has not been a fair distribution of those resources.

MS Disaster Relief Coalition Statement:

WHY WE MARCH AGAINST RED CROSS

Red Cross has solicited and received billions of dollars to aid Katrina survivors. A large portion of that money (possibly $80 million) was directed toward the Means to Recovery program. Red Cross officials don’t agree on the actual amount and have tried their best to hide the program and make it difficult for desperate survivors to receive these funds.

The Peoples Hurricane Relief Fund, MS Disaster Relief Coalition and other groups across the nation are protesting on Monday, August 20 to demand that Red Cross do right by the people these funds were received for.

We are calling for:

Immediate disbursal of all funds received for Katrina-Rita Survivors with a target date for completion;
Elimination of the Case Manager process and implementation of a swift, simple process for getting funds into the hands of needy survivors;
Total accountability for all funds received and disbursed. A ‘dollars-to-demographics’ accounting of funds received for survivors;
Immediate identification and release of any funds that were directed to other agencies for Katrina-Rita relief;
Congressional and local investigations into the use of Katrina-related funds by all government and non-profit agencies.

< September 2007 >

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

September 26, 2007

For Immediate Release

For More Information, contact Nsombi Lambright, 601-573-3978 or Brent Cox 601-502-5520

ACLU Continues To Call For Greater Accountability Within JPD

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of MS is again calling for the establishment of a Civilian Police Review Board to monitor the actions of the Jackson Police Department.

For the second time within a few weeks, an African American male has died as a result of deadly force used by Jackson Police Department officers. In August of 2007, 21 year old Rafeal Forbes died in police custody after a taser was used on him by Jackson Police Officers. This week, 28 year old Roy Bradley was shot and killed by Jackson Police after a traffic stop. Questions regarding the circumstances of these deaths remain unanswered.

The police police themselves; but who’s policing them? The Jackson Police Department handles its own internal investigations without any oversight or review. Only families who can afford private attorneys have a chance to receive justice through civil suits when the police department has determined that “no wrong doing occurred”.

Additionally, when citizens attempt to monitor police activity in communities, such as arrests, they are often threatened and arrested. Last week, an ACLU worker was arrested and detained in the Hinds County Detention Center for engaging in “Cop Watch” activities. Cop Watch is a program that trains citizens to monitor police activity, so that if an abuse occurs, it can be witnessed and documented, often times with a video camera. Brent Cox, ACLU Public Education Coordinator, was attempting to watch a police officer who was questioning a young male on Old Canton Road. The police officer asked Brent to move back; he moved, waited for the questioning to finish and then spoke to the young man after he had been released by the police officers. After the young man expressed concerns about the police questioning, Brent asked the police officer for her name and badge number. She refused and called for back up. Brent was arrested and charged with two misdemeanors: Failure to obey a police officer, Disorderly conduct, and Interfering with a police investigation. The first charge was dropped while the others are pending.

A civilian review board, with subpoena authority, would be comprised of citizens, non police department personnel, who would provide objective oversight and review of cases of alleged abuse and misconduct by law enforcement. The ACLU began to call for the establishment of a civilian review board in 2006 after complaints about civil rights and civil liberties violations by Jackson Mayor Frank Melton and other officers assisting him in road blocks.

The Jackson Police Department and the Jackson City Council should take proactive steps to establish community oversight in the city of Jackson before another person dies.

Back to September's events

September 27, 2007

Expungement Workshop

Sponsored by Southeastern Prison Education And Reform (SPEAR) & ACLU of Mississippi

Let’s start by reclaiming our original status prior to our conviction.

Let’s start by restoring our Right to Vote.

What: A workshop designed to show you how to begin the process to make this happen. It will focus on (1) learning the Record Expungement process and (2) educating on voting rights for ex-offenders.

When: Sept 27 2007 @ 6:00pm

Where: Best Western Regency Inn, 2428 Highway 82 E, Greenville, MS

Back to September's events

September 29

Community Organizing Training

Citizens of the "Golden Triangle" Region of Mississippi

What: A training workshop on the Basics of Community Organizing

When: Fri. Sept 28 2007 @ 6:00pm-8:30pm, Sat. Sept 29 2007 @ 9:00am-4:00pm

Where: Propst Park Community Hut, Columbus, MS

Catering by Helen's Kitchen, free to the Public!

Back to September's events

< October 2007 >

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

State of the Nation IV comes to Jackson State University

4^th Annual Art and Performance Festival October 4, 5, & 6

Jackson, MS (September 24, 2007) - For the fourth time in as many years artists from Mississippi and Louisiana are collaborating to present a three-day regional arts festival on the campus of Jackson State University in Jackson, MS. Artists from Jackson, New Orleans, Miami, Louisville and beyond will converge on the campus of Jackson State University October 4 thru 6, 2007 for the fourth annual State of the Nation Art and Performance Festival. This three-day event will take place at the F.D. Hall Music Center at Jackson State University and will feature performance art, visual art exhibitions, and workshops by local, national and international artists. The festival fosters the intersection of arts and activism by involving organizers, educators, activists and students as well as artists of multiple disciplines in a working examination of “Connections.”

The festival includes performances Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, October 4, 5, & 6. Performances start at 7:00pm nightly in the F.D. Hall Music Center. During the day on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday participating artists will offer workshops in music, dance, theatre, poetry, social justice organizing and arts administration that are open to the public.

The festival will feature performers from New Orleans that were affected by Hurricane Katrina. These performers include companies ArtSpot Productions, Junebug Productions, Mondo Bizarro; and individual performers Millicent Johnnie, Sunni Patterson, Saddi Khali, Valentine Pierce, and MOOSE. The festival will also feature Puerto Rican born performer Teo Castellanos of Miami, FL performing his award winning one man show, NE 2^nd Ave. This work was awarded the Fringe First Award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and was awarded Best Solo Performance by Miami new Time and Best Original Play by Miami Beach Sun. This will be his first visit to the magnolia state.

Other participating artists include Looking for Lilith Theatre (Louisville, KY), Carolyn Renee and Rising Appalachia (Atlanta), as well as Mississippi artists Skipp Coon, C. Leigh McInnis, LaTongya Garner, Blac Dadi Strahberies, Jerrod Avant and Sam Roberts.

This festival will also include a community forum that will explore the social, political, racial, economic, class, and cultural issues that still exist in the Gulf South. The intent of this event is to keep the Gulf Coast in the national spotlight by inviting artists from across the United States to see what we are still experiencing in terms of the slow rebuilding process, with the hopes that the images they see and experience will be shared with diverse communities throughout the country.

The Festival involves youth, local artists, organizers and culture bearers in the planning and implementation of an event that gives voice to their diverse approaches to creating/producing art that inspires social change, creating a space where laughter, joy and imagination become our shared humanity.

Costs: $15 General Admission, $10 Students and Seniors. $25 Festival Pass.

< November 2007 >

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

November 12, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For more information, contact: Nsombi Lambright, 601-573-3978 or Linda Pee, 662-258-4532

North MS Ex-Principal Faces Assault Charges In Corporal Punishment Case

Eupora, MS-- On Wednesday, November 14^th, a principal will face criminal charges for paddling a student at East Webster High School in Eupora, Mississippi. Bill Brand, ex-Principal of East Webster High, paddled Audrey Pee, even though her mother had “opted out” of corporal punishment by signing a school-issued for