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
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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!
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June 19, 2007 - Town Hall Meeting - Propst Park's Community Hut,
More info coming soon!
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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 2nd Annual Freedom Party is Friday, July 20th, 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
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Jan 2006 Feb 2006 Mar 2006 Apr 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 Aug 2006
Sept 2006 Oct 2006 Nov 2006 Dec 2006
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October 2006 (back to top of page)
ACLU of Mississippi Files Lawsuit To Challenge State’s Denial of Voting Rights To Persons With Felony Convictions
The ACLU of Mississippi today filed a lawsuit to challenge the state’s denial of voting rights to citizens with felony convictions. Strickland v. Clark, filed against the Secretary of State’s Office and the State Attorney General’s Office, specifically challenging the denial of voting privileges to two Hinds County residents convicted of a crime not specifically listed in the State’s Constitution as a crime that would take away an individual’s right to vote.
The ACLU is also requesting that the voter registration deadline, which was Friday, October 6, be extended for people who have been convicted of felony offenses and are uncertain about their voting qualifications.
“I fought for my country and I should be allowed my right to vote” says Michael Johnson, a 39 year old military veteran, who’s a plaintiff in the case.
Johnson, who was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after serving in the Persian Gulf War, was convicted of one of the ten crimes listed in the State Constitution. State law allows these individuals to participate in federal elections. However, these individuals are not allowed to register to vote, therefore are not able to participate in any election process. The other crimes are: Murder, Rape, Forgery, Bribery, obtaining money or goods under false pretense, bigamy, embezzlement, perjury, theft and arson.
“Mississippi’s process to register voters is confusing for persons who have been convicted of a crime; it discourages citizens who have paid their dept to society from fully carrying out their civic responsibilities. It’s taxation without representation,” says ACLU of MS Executive Director Nsombi Lambright.
The Secretary of State’s Office added eleven additional crimes to the voter registration application as a result of an Attorney General’s Opinion. The AG Opinion added the following crimes: Extortion, felony bad check, felony shoplifting, larceny, receiving stolen property, robbery, timber larceny, unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, statutory rape, and carjacking. Under Mississippi law AG opinions are only advisory and not State law. In 2004, the Secretary of State’s Office added the additional crimes to the voter registration application. However, the State Constitution has not been amended to include the additional crimes.
“Mississippi’s continued violations of state and federal law not only undermine the integrity of the state’s election system, but degrade our country’s democratic principles by shutting thousands of people out of the political process,” said Nancy Abudu, Staff Counsel with the ACLU Southern Regional Office in Atlanta.
Mississippi ACLU with the support of its National and Regional offices is an active member of the Mississippi Voter Empowerment Coalition (MVEC), who have been advocating for the rights of citizens that have convicted of a crime.
MVEC members include Mississippi State Conference NAACP, Mississippi Worker’s Center for Human Rights, Mississippi Center for Justice, Action Communication and Education Reform, Country Oaks Recovery Center, SPEAR-Southeastern Prison Education, Advocacy and Reformation, Malcolm X Grassroots Movement and Concerned Citizens for a Better Tunica County.
“The right to vote is the foundation of a free society. The right to vote is worth fighting for and Mississippians, convicted felons or not, are entitled to all the privileges, rights and protection provided in the United States and Mississippi Constitutions,” says John Williams, Staff Attorney, ACLU of MS.
Lead plaintiff Leola Strickland adds, “I am a citizens of Jackson and the United States. I have worked hard my entire life and deserve the right to vote.”
ACLU to Hold Open Forum Community Crime Summit
10/2/06 @ Eudora Welty Library, 6pm in Jackson
CONTACT:
Nsombi Lambright, ACLUMS Executive Director, (601) 355-6464
Brent Cox, Public Education Coordinator, (601) 502-5520
JACKSON, MS – The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Mississippi
will sponsor an open forum Community Crime Summit on Monday, October 2
to discuss the need for effective community policing in Jackson. This
will be an opportunity for all citizens of Jackson to come together to
talk about their concerns and experiences and to suggest ways to make
our city safer. City officials, civil rights organizations and concerned
citizens are particularly encouraged to attend.
Attendees can discuss what has gone wrong in Jackson, what is working
and how as a community we can stand together to make Jackson safer for
everyone. Crime is a continuing problem, and the old ‘tough on crime’
methods that violate individual rights in the name of security have
failed our city. They have wasted valuable police resources, contributed
to mistrust between citizens and government, and ultimately compounded
crime by making some government offices as unlawful and corrupt as the
criminals they purport to fight. As a city and community, we can do
better.
The Community Crime Summit will begin at 6:00 PM, October 2 at the
Eudora Welty Library in downtown Jackson (300 N State Street, Jackson,
MS). For more information, please contact the ACLU at (601) 354-3408.
This is a non-partisan event. Admission is free and everyone is welcome.
About the ACLU of Mississippi:
The American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi is freedom's watchdog,
working daily in the courts, legislatures and communities to defend
individual rights and personal freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution
and the Bill of Rights.
(click here for a downloadable flyer you can pass out or add to your Blog/MySpace/FaceBook page!)
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September 7, 2006 (back to top of page)
Upper Level Manager Tonarri Moore and Attorney Sharon Gipson to Hold Press Conference
Press Conference Scheduled for 11:30 AM
outside the Upper Level Bar & Grill, 4125 W. Northside Drive
For Immediate Release: September 6, 2006
Media Contacts:
Sharon Gray, Attorney – (601) 291 - 9691
Nsombi Lambright, ACLU of Mississippi – (601) 573-3978
JACKSON, MS
– In response to the arrest and beating of Upper Level Bar & Grill
manager Tonarrie Moore, a press conference will be held September 7 at
11:30 AM.
According to witnesses and Upper Level staff, Moore was handcuffed and
beaten while in Jackson Police Department custody and in the presence of
Jackson mayor Frank Melton. This beating is part of a history of
harassment by the mayor who in 2005 vowed to “shut down” the Upper
Level, despite the bar being a licensed business in compliance with city
and state law.
Speakers will address the events of that night and the actions they will
take to protect the rights of the business’ owner, staff and customers
from further abuses by the mayor and Jackson Police Department. The ACLU
of MS’ Nsombi Lambright will speak to the growing concern of civil
rights abuses across the city of Jackson, and efforts the ACLU and
others are taking to bring law, order and safety back to our city.
WHAT: PRESS CONFERENCE
WHEN: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7 AT 11:30 AM
WHERE:
4125 W. NORTHSIDE DRIVE, OUTSIDE THE
UPPER LEVEL BAR & GRILL
(back
to top of page)
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August 2006 (back to top of page)
ACLU of Mississippi Partners Sponsor Know Your Rights Town Hall Meeting to
Address Crime & Citizen's Rights
On Tuesday, August 1st, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), in
partnership with the Magnolia Bar Association, the Jackson Chapter
NAACP, the Jackson Free Press, the Mississippi Link, the Jackson
Advocate and the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement will sponsor a
Know-Your-Rights town hall meeting to discuss crime, it’s root causes
and citizens’ involvement in coming up with solutions. We will also
educate citizens about their rights and on how to hold law enforcement
accountable to respecting these rights and keeping communities safe.
The purposes of this meeting are to:
1. Educate citizens about their rights: Provide tools and
information to people who want to keep their neighborhoods safe while
protecting their civil liberties;
2. Begin a dialogue about the root causes of crime and our own
personal responsibility to keep our neighborhoods safe;
3. Begin a dialogue about standards of accountability for law
enforcement in communities and not allowing these standards to be
violated because of crime.
Special Guests are:
King Downing, National Racial Profiling Coordinator, ACLU-NATIONAL OFFICE,
Redditt Hudson, former St.Louis police officer, Coordinator, Project PEACE- project to reform law enforcement practices in city of St. Louis, MO
We will
also document complaints by citizens in order to begin the dialogue with
city and state officials about improving law enforcement-community
relationships. Our goal is to end racial profiling and police brutality
in the state of Mississippi.
This purpose of this meeting is NOT to attack on Mayor Frank Melton or
the Jackson Police Department. These problems did not begin with the
current administration, however, maybe the process of ending these
problems can begin here.
The meeting will be held at the Jasper and Associates Complex, located
at 3365 Medgar Evers Blvd.
This event is free of charge and open to the public; refreshments will
be served.
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July 2006 (back to top of page)
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June 2006 (back to top of page)
ACLU of MS Human Rights Day of Action
Please join the Mississippi ACLU, the national ACLU and the Mississippi Worker's Center for Human Rights as we announce the release of the ACLU shadow report to the United Nations Human Rights Committee at a press conference next Tuesday, June 20th, at 10:00 a.m. at the M.W. Stringer Grand Lodge, 1072 J.R. Lynch Street, in Jackson, MS.
This report details a wide variety of human rights violations, from the
torture and abuse of 9/11 detainees to Hurricane Katrina. Mississippi
is mentioned in the report for human rights violations during Hurricane
Katrina, including racial disparities within the delivery of services
for basic human needs such as shelter in the aftermath of the storm and
discrimination against Internally Displaced Students in Mississippi
school districts.
This report is one of the
first steps in holding the US government responsible for human rights
violations of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
Following the press conference, there will be a brown bag lunch
panel discussion, at 12 noon, on How To Hold All Levels of
Government Accountable to Human Rights Violations. Confirmed panelists
include:
Nsombi Lambright, Executive Director, ACLU of MS
Jaribu Hill, Executive Director, MS Worker's Center for Human Rights
Alvin Bronstein, Founder, National Prison Project; former MS Civil
Rights Attorney
Dorian Jolly, ACLU client, High School Student, from New Orleans, LA
The Stringer Lodge is one of Jackson's
historic civil rights sites where mass meetings and rally's were held in
the 1960's. It is also the place of the first state NAACP office, where
Medgar Evers once worked.
ACLU Freedom Extravaganzaa, June 30, 2006
Jackson, MS-- On June 30th, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Mississippi will sponsor its Annual Membership Meeting at 930 N. Congress Street in Jackson, from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. This year’s meeting will be an outdoor “Freedom Party” to celebrate the human rights, civil liberties and civil rights that all human beings are entitled to at birth and to raise awareness about violations of these freedoms.
The purposes of this event are to 1) thank all of our members, donors and supporters; 2) to raise awareness about important human rights, civil rights and civil liberties issues and 3) to recruit members who want to join in the fight to protect these rights. There will be tables with information about all sorts of issues like “What To Do If Your Stopped By The Police” , “Voting Rights for Ex-Felons”, the “USA Patriot Act”, “Youth Rights”, and the rights of “Gay/Lesbian/Transgender people”.
This year’s events will feature music, spoken word and other presentations by local artists and activists from throughout the state. Local social justice organizations including MIRA (Mississippi Immigrants Rights Alliance), the Youth Justice Project, the MS State Conference NAACP and Rainbow Whole Foods Co-Op will set up tables to share information about their work. Arts and crafts vendors will be in attendance as well.
Performers will include: Alabama Blues artist Willie King, many of the performers from the 930 Blues Café and a host of hip hop, R&B and folk artists from across the state.
We will also honor elected officials and members of the Mississippi Reproductive Freedom Coalition, who worked tirelessly during this year’s legislative session to defeat a potential ban on safe abortions in Mississippi.
The cost of the event is $5 for ACLU members, $10 for non-ACLU members, $15 for two and free for students. If you are interested in setting up a vendor table, click here; organizations wishing to set up a table, click here, and bands/artists may apply here.
This event is co-sponsored by the Jackson Free Press, Mississippi Link, and others!
Artists'/Musicians' Application here
Organizational Applications here
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May 2006 (back to top of page)
May 19 - Women's Rights Freedom Files Viewing
Come join us at our offices for a viewing of the new Freedom Files episode regarding Women's Rights! For more information call our office @ 601-355-6464 or email shawna@msaclu.org
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April 2006 (back to top of page)
Rights and the Role of Activism Conference April 28-30, 2006
The University of Southern Mississippi's Center for Human Rights (which is led by Professor Bob Press and is based out of their Political Science Department in the College of Arts & Letters) is hosting a Rights and the Role of Activism Conference this Friday-Sunday, Apr. 28-30. We have received permission to set up a table and participate in the event. The "booth space" will be in the College of Arts & Letters' Rotunda with movies, panelists, and presentations being made in the Gonzales Auditorium on the first floor. A brief synopsis of the conference is below. We will be setting up our table bright and early Saturday morning @ 8am! If you can make it we'd love to see you there!!
This
is a reminder of the Clinic Defense training scheduled for this
Saturday, April 29, 2006 from 12:00-2:00. Contact Michelle
Colon (President, Jackson-area NOW) or Shawna Davie (MS
Reproductive Freedom Project Coordinator)
From Michelle Colon: "This is the first of several trainings for activists who plan on participating in Presenting a Peaceful Presence at Jackson Women's Health Clinic, July 15-22, 2006, so please don't fret if you are unable to make this one. Thanks for your dedication to pro-choice issues in Mississippi and hope to see you this weekend. Please feel free to contact me if you should have any questions."