NAACP and Government Officials Urge Opposition Against Congressional Bill Eliminating Affirmative Action

On July 16, leaders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and government agencies encouraged a large audience of African Americans to take political action against a congressional bill which wants to eliminate federal affirmative action programs. After pointing out that pervasive discrimination still exist, NAACP and government officials urged individuals to write their congressional representatives to voice opposition to the McConnell-Canady bill, named for the republicans who sponsored it. Gregory Stewart, general counsel at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, said the number of cases filed that allege discrimination have increased dramatically during the past few years. Although the NAACP and government agencies focused on race on Wednesday, the bill hurts women as well as people of color.

Media Resources: San Jose Mercury News - July 16,1997

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