Politics

N.C. NAACP Will Seek to Get Voter Restrictions Lifted

Published

11 years ago

July 7, 2015

Oakland Post

Rev. William Barber II is fighting “extreme agenda” in North Carolina.

By Freddie Allen
Senior Washington Correspondent

WASHINGTON (NNPA) – In less than a week, a voting rights trial is expected to begin that will challenge North Carolina’s restrictive voting law. Whatever the verdict, experts expect the ruling to have a ripple effect in states that have passed similar laws in the wake of a recent Supreme Court decision that weakened the Voting Rights Act.
Shortly after the Supreme Court invalidated Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act in the Shelby v. Holder decision two years ago, a number of states rushed to pass voting laws that civil rights groups say discriminate against people of color and poor people.
In its decision, the Supreme Court voted to annihilate the Voting Rights Act that required jurisdictions with a demonstrated history of racial discrimination to pre-clear any election law change with the U.S. Attorney General or a district federal judge in Washington, D.C.
Rev. William Barber II, the head of the North Carolina branch of the NAACP and co-founder of the Moral Mondays Movement, said that the deliberate, race-based voter suppression law passed by the North Carolina state legislature and signed by North Carolina’s Gov. Pat McCrory is a sin.
“[House Bill 589] violates our deepest constitutional values and our deepest moral and religious values, which demand equal protection under the law and the establishment of justice,” said Barber.
The Advancement Project, a multi-racial civil rights group, called H.B. 589 a “monster” bill that shortens the early voting period by a full week, eliminates same-day registration and requires strict forms of voter ID, changes that disproportionately affect minority and low-income voters.
The bill also blocks out-of-precinct voting, expands the role of voter challengers at the polls, and ends a pre-registration program for 16- and 17-year olds, according to the advocacy group.
“The number of voters silenced because of the new law likely exceeds 30,000 and could reach 50,000 or more,” according to analysis by Democracy North Carolina, a watchdog group that monitors elections.
The report said that the repeal of same-day registration, out-of-precinct voting, and straight party voting “which created backlogs inside the voting enclosure and longer lines outside as voters took longer to mark each contest on their ballot,” created the most problems for voters during the 2014 general election in North Carolina.
As the nation mourns the mass murder of the nine members of Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston S.C., Barber said that Americans are in “the middle of a serious season about race” and that it’s not just about symbols like the Confederate flag it’s also about the substance of public policy and the racially disparate impact of that the public policy.
“The fact that the extreme agenda around voter suppression has been so racialized and framed by the suppressors as somehow saving the country and saving the democracy is the reason that, not only must flags come down, but the opposition to voting rights and these suppressive laws must come down,” said Barber. “Racialized rhetoric and policy rooted in untruth creates a climate in which we can say, ‘the perpetrator of race-based terror has been arrested, but the killer, racism and race-driven policies and rhetoric, is still at large.’”
Donita Judge, a senior attorney for Advancement Project, said that group will also show that the North Carolina general assembly knew that the law would discriminate against African American voters, making it harder for them to participate in the electoral process, but passed it anyway.
Judge said that the lawyers representing the North Carolina branch of NAACP in the lawsuit against Gov. McCrory plan to use Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act that prohibits voting laws that result in the denial or abridgement of voting on the basis of race to challenge H.B. 589.
“The outcome of this trial will have national implications for voting rights,” said Judge, adding that dozens of states have passed similar legislation after Shelby v. Holder decision. “The solvency of the Voting Rights Act to stop these discriminatory voting practices hangs in the balance and that battle will be waged in Winston-Salem starting July 13.”
In June, less than a month before the trial, North Carolina legislators eased restrictions on the photo ID requirements in the state’s contentious voting law. The changes, if approved by Gov. McCrory, would allow voters to sign an affidavit acknowledging hardships that they encountered in obtaining a photo ID. Voters could then present other forms of identification.
Barber noted that the last ditch effort by state lawmakers to soften the blow of the photo ID statute, only addressed one part of the 2013 law, leaving the cuts to early voting days, same day registration and pre-registration for some teenagers intact.
The same day that the trial is set to begin, the Moral Mondays movement will also host a march and rally for voting rights in Winston-Salem, N.C., Barber said, to show the world that North Carolina residents plan to fight for their right to vote.
“This is our Selma, and we implore all who care about voting rights to join us,” said Barber.

“Selma is not just something that happened 50 years ago. Selma is not just a movie that you can go see to be nostalgic about the fight that was. Our Selma is the fight that is. The fight against voter suppression right now, right here, today.”

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Life Expectancy in Marin City, a Black Community, Is 15-17 Years Less than the Rest of Marin County

“Marin City residents have been fighting for years just to stay here. Residents live with the fear of being forced out, public housing torn down and rebuilt for the wealthy. Due to ongoing issues continually being ignored, residents feel they must be empowered to make their own decisions for the future survival and protection of their community,” said Terrie Green, a lifelong resident and executive director of Marin City Climate Resilience (MCCR).

Published

3 days ago

February 3, 2026

Oakland Post

Marin City community leaders (l.-r.): Terrie Green, executive director of Marin City Climate Resilience (MCCR); Wambua Musyoki, Stanford University; Khamil Callahan, Santa Rosa Junior College; Serenity Allen, Xavier University; and Chinaka Green, MCCR associate director.

By Ken Epstein

People may be aware of the existence of Marin City and know a little about its history as a center of U.S. resistance to fascism in the World War II. But fewer know of the community’s ongoing struggles to survive potential displacement while facing severe toxic health and environmental conditions on a daily basis.

These conditions cause chronic disease and premature death, dramatically shown in the sharp difference in life expectancy between Black and white people living in households only a few miles apart.

A historically African American enclave, Marin City, occupies a 0.5-square mile area between Mill Valley and Sausalito with its own freeway exit near the Golden Gate Bridge. In contrast, the rest of Marin County rates among the healthiest, wealthiest, and most environmentally friendly counties in the country. However, it is one of the least racially equitable counties in California, with Black residents being the most impacted, according to the Advancement Project, a civil rights organization,.

The community owes its continued existence to the World War II generation that came to the Bay Area from the South to work in the shipyards and to the resiliency of its residents. Despite often facing discriminatory practices, such as redlining and a segregated school district, Marin City residents have continually created a strong community rich in culture, spirituality, and community values.

The current statistics are brutal. At present, Marin City residents face more than a 17-year difference in life expectancy compared to neighboring cities and towns. Contributing to these conditions are a lack of investment in public housing and infrastructure: unsafe drinking water, air pollution caused by proximity to the U.S. 101 freeway, unsanitary stormwater drainage that produces mold and mildew, as well as old and broken lead pipes and sewage in homes.

As an unincorporated community, Marin City residents must rely primarily on the elected Marin County Board of Supervisors, Department of Public Works, Transportation Authority of Marin and Caltrans for the decisions and investments that impact their lives.

MCCR’s focus is on environmental justice. Its purpose is to empower and advocate for individuals to embrace sustainable living, envision a future free of environmental harm and collectively work towards a better Marin City. MCCR’s motto is “Forever Marin City.”

MCCR has created a unique team of Marin City Youth Environmentalists who have studied and researched environmental issues impacting the health of the community.

Serenity Allen is an MCCR Youth Coordinator/Young Environmentalist studying to be a medical social worker at Xavier University. She has been working in the community for six years. “I strongly believe that where you live should not determine how long you are able to live,” she said.

Allen referred to the work done by former Marin County Public Health Officer Dr. Matt Willis, who stated that Marin City has a 17-year life expectancy difference between residents of Marin City (77 years) and more affluent areas like Ross (94 years).

“The research shows this gap is heavily correlated with race and socioeconomic status. Sausalito, which is not even two miles outside of Marin City, has a life expectancy of 92 years,” Allen said.

“Many elements contribute to this gap,” she said. “A major factor may be the 12 acres of toxic flood waters that pour down off the highway into low-lying Marin City.

In addition, “We do not have a barrier wall protecting us along our highway; the rest of Marin County has 16 barrier walls to protect from noise and air pollution. Marin City has been fighting for a barrier wall since 2008,” she said.

Octavien Green, an MCCR high school environmentalist, spoke about the impact of the absence of recreational facilities on health and wellness, particularly for youth.

“Lack of investment in our recreational facilities means we have fewer spaces and opportunities for physical activity, which contribute to serious health problems like heart disease, diabetes, weak bones and low energy, especially for kids. We are presently involved in an ongoing struggle just to rebuild a sports ball field for the community that’s been unusable for the last 15 years.”

“Marin City is the center of Black culture for all of Marin County,” said Green. “Historically, though, the county has not invested in the community, and you see it in the life expectancy, the highest chronic disease and disability rates and eight times the amount of asthma. In the last six weeks, we’ve had three young people in their 40s and 50s die from heart attacks. This is alarming and must be addressed.”

Looking toward next steps, she said, “The way forward is through incorporation,” which would mean that Marin City would have its own elected leadership to find solutions that determine the future of the community.

This is the first in a series of articles on Marin City, examining conditions in the community and interviewing both community members and public officials.