Readout of President Biden’s Meeting With Leaders from Legacy Black Civil Rights Organizations

President Biden and Vice President Harris met today with leaders from legacy Black civil rights organizations. The group discussed the wave of anti-voter legislation that has recently passed or is pending in state legislatures across the country and the path forward to protect the right to vote. The group also discussed steps the Administration recently announced to address the rise in gun violence and the status of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act that is currently being negotiated in the Senate. The President and Vice President reiterated that they will continue to push for Congress to pass critical legislation that protects the right to vote and combats subversion of the election process, while continuing to utilize all existing authorities in an all-of-government effort to ensure full voter participation and elections that reflect the will of the people.

The civil rights leaders provided an update on the work their organizations are doing, both nationally and in the states, to protect the right to vote. They also provided the President and Vice President with their ideas on ways to engage the public on civil rights issues.

The meeting participants included:

• Melanie Campbell, President and CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation
• Dr. Johnnetta Cole, National Chair and President of the National Council of Negro Women
• Wade Henderson, Interim President of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human
• Damon Hewitt, President and Executive Director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
• Sherrilyn Ifill, President and Director-Counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund
• Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP (virtual)
• Marc Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League
• Reverend Al Sharpton, President of the National Action Network

From the White House:

• Danielle Conley, Deputy Counsel to the President
• Tina Flournoy, Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the Vice President
• Catherine Lhamon, Deputy Assistant to the President for Racial Justice and Equity
• Dana Remus, Assistant to the President and White House Counsel
• Susan Rice, Assistant to the President and Domestic Policy Advisor
• Cedric Richmond, Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor and Director of the Office of Public Engagement

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