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Justice System Reform

Duke Energy Provides $25,000 Grant For SCSJ’s 2022 Justice System Reform Work

DURHAM, N.C. (December 21, 2021) — Duke Energy has awarded Southern Coalition for Social Justice (SCSJ) with a $25,000 grant to expand the educational and advocacy work of the North Carolina-based organization’s Justice System Reform (JSR) team. Through community lawyering, communications, and organizing, the JSR Team promotes social and economic justice by ensuring police accountability,…

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Recent News

Nonpartisan Groups Head to Court to Challenge DeSantis’ Unfair Voting Map

TALLAHASSE, FL (Sept. 26, 2023) — Today in federal court, Common Cause Florida and plaintiffs began arguments in the trial over the state’s gerrymandered 2022…

Communications

SOLVE Network Awards Grants to Southern Organizations

DURHAM, NC (September 18, 2023) — The Southern Leadership for Voter Engagement Network (SOLVE), which is part of Southern Coalition for Social Justice, granted $300,000…

Communications

Gov. Roy Cooper appoints Allison Riggs to NC Supreme Court

RALEIGH, NC (Sept 11, 2023) – Governor Roy Cooper has appointed Allison J. Riggs, current Court of Appeals judge and former Southern Coalition for Social…

Justice System Reform

SCSJ, Emancipate NC urge action on Edenton’s Confederate statue relocation

EDENTON, N.C. (Sept. 8, 2023) – Southern Coalition for Social Justice and Emancipate NC urge the town of Edenton to seek a court hearing in…

Communications

Statement: Justice Earls’ Lawsuit Highlights Troubling Pattern of Attacks on Black Elected Officials in the South

RALEIGH (August 30, 2023) — Southern Coalition for Social Justice is alarmed at the allegations unveiled in North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Anita Earls’ recent…

Voting Rights

Voting Rights Groups Release 2022 Midterm Election Protection Report, Detailing NC Voting Trends

DURHAM, N.C. (8/24/2023) – Voters’ experiences during the 2022 Midterms confirms the continued need to improve voting policies, Early Voting, voter registration, and access and…

Criminal Justice

SCSJ challenges North Carolina’s parole system

RALEIGH, NC – Southern Coalition for Social Justice is representing a man who has been incarcerated for more than 40 years, who has been continually…

Voting Rights

SCSJ, allies call upon Supreme Court to strike down racially gerrymandered maps

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A coalition of civil rights groups are calling upon the U.S. Supreme Court to affirm that South Carolina’s congressional map is racially…

Voting Rights

Galveston Racial Gerrymandering Trial Begins

GALVESTON, TX – Black and Brown residents of Galveston County packed a federal court this week as civil rights groups began a trial this week…

Voting Rights

Civil Rights Groups File Federal Lawsuit to Block Racially Discriminatory Tennessee Redistricting

Nashville, TN (August 9, 2023) — The Tennessee State Conference of the NAACP, the African American Clergy Collective of Tennessee, the Equity Alliance, the Memphis…

Voting Rights

SCSJ, Texas Civil Rights Project Take Galveston Gerrymandering to Trial

GALVESTON, TEXAS – This Monday, August 7, civil rights groups will head to trial to make the case that the Galveston County Commissioners Court diluted the…

Voting Rights

Case Against Racially Gerrymandered Cobb County School Board Map to Move Forward

ATLANTA, Ga. — A federal court judge on Friday agreed with voting rights groups representing impacted individuals and organizations in Cobb County that a lawsuit challenging…

Environmental Justice

SCSJ condemns veto override of environmental protections

DURHAM – Southern Coalition for Social Justice condemns the North Carolina General Assembly’s irresponsible decision to override Governor Cooper’s veto of Senate Bill 582, or…

Voting Rights

Major Victory for Voters with SCOTUS’ Rejection of Dangerous Attempt to Destroy Democracy

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Supreme Court handed voters a major victory today with its 6-3 ruling that state courts can review — and rectify…

Voting Rights

U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Dangerous Attempt to Destroy Democracy

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Supreme Court handed voters a major victory today with their ruling that state courts can review — and rectify —…

Justice System Reform

SCSJ Mourns Loss of Tireless Durham Justice Innovator

DURHAM — Southern Coalition for Social Justice is sharing in our Durham community’s sadness as we remember Chukwuemeka “Chuck” Ajiri Manning Sr., a tireless justice…

Communications

SCSJ Calls for End of Voting Law That Criminalizes Mistakes by Individuals with Felony Convictions

DURHAM — A group of pro-democracy plaintiffs have asked a federal court in the Middle
District of North Carolina to block a longstanding racist law…

Communications

SCSJ Celebrates Historic Victory in Allen v. Milligan

ALABAMA — The U.S. Supreme Court reaffirmed the continued importance of the Voting Rights Act today in Allen v. Milligan by upholding a lower court’s…

Communications

SCSJ Condemns Voting Omnibus Bill as Blatant Disenfranchisement

RALEIGH, NC – Southern Coalition for Social Justice condemns North Carolina Republicans’ sweeping omnibus elections bill as a coordinated attack on our state’s voting system…

Communications

More than 100 NC Organizations, Attorneys, Officials, Individuals Condemn NCBA’s Drag Show Cancellation, Call for Retraction

DURHAM, NC — Southern Coalition for Social Justice, along with more than 120 legal, nonprofit and LGBTQ organizations, current and former elected officials, members of…

Voting Rights

Filing: SCOTUS Should Rule in Major Voting Rights Case, Moore v. Harper

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The dispute over the fringe independent state legislature theory must be resolved by the U.S. Supreme Court in time to prepare maps,…

Voting Rights

NC Board of Elections Should Issue National Voter Registration Act Guidance to County Boards

During the 2022 election cycle, voter registration groups in North Carolina ran into a new problem: a shortage of paper copies of registration forms. Groups…

North Carolina Supreme Court Greenlights Partisan Gerrymandering, Racist Voter ID Law

RALEIGH, N.C. — The North Carolina Supreme Court signaled today it will not provide a check on legislative efforts to discriminate against resident voters, vacating two…

Justice System Reform

Alamance County Board of Commissioners Urge Lawmakers to Fund Public Defender’s Office

The Alamance County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously Monday to pass a resolution urging the North Carolina General Assembly to provide funding for a public…

Voting Rights

SCSJ Report: NC Needs Better Election Funding, Advocacy

DURHAM, NC — With insights from 40 counties and 12 election officials, Southern Coalition for Social Justice (SCSJ) and the Harvard Ash Center for Democratic…

Voting Rights

NC Legislator Party Affiliation Switcheroo Yet Another Slap in Face of NC Voters

DURHAM, NC — Rep. Tricia Cotham, of Charlotte, announced today that she is switching her party affiliation from Democratic to Republican, subverting the will of…

Criminal Justice

North Carolina BIPOC Students Continue to Suffer Inequity According to Racial Equity Report Cards

School systems across North Carolina continue to fail BIPOC students, who experience significantly higher rates of disciplinary action in schools and lower rates of college…

Voting Rights

Galveston District Court Rejects Motion to Dismiss Racial Gerrymandering Case

GALVESTON COUNTY, TEXAS – In a major win last week, a federal court in Texas refused to ignore Galveston County residents who said they were…

Voting Rights

State Board of Elections Removes Election Deniers from Surry County Board

DOBSON, N.C. — In a historic win against election denialism, the State Board of Elections voted unanimously today to remove Jerry Forestieri and Timothy DeHaan…

Voting Rights

Filing: Proceedings in NC Redistricting Case Do Not Change US Supreme Court’s Ability to Decide Moore v. Harper

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Supreme Court should reject the dangerous and fringe independent state legislature theory (ISLT) presented in Moore v. Harper regardless of…

Voting Rights

SCSJ praises Goldsboro residents stopping election change

GOLDSBORO, NC — Southern Coalition for Social Justice (SCSJ) praises the work of residents of Goldsboro, who pushed back Tuesday against potential plans to change…

Voting Rights

North Carolina Supreme Court Justices Seek Racist Statements to Prove Discriminatory Intent in Voter ID Case

RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina Supreme Court Justices do not need smoking-gun evidence of racial animus or to wait for actual North Carolina voters to…

Voting Rights

RECAP: NC Supreme Court Rehears Arguments on Harper v. Hall Voting Rights Case

RALEIGH, N.C. — Republican lawmakers want supreme power when it comes to deciding what’s fair in electoral mapmaking their attorney told the North Carolina Supreme…

Voting Rights

SCSJ Finds Over-Inclusive Voter Removals Disproportionately Impact Voters of Color

DURHAM, NC – Thousands of North Carolinians have been removed from the voter rolls this year with a disproportional impact on people of color, a…

Voting Rights

Plaintiffs in Redistricting, Voter ID Cases Respond to Impractical Arguments for NC Supreme Court to Abandon Prior Decisions

RALEIGH, N.C. — Legal briefs filed Friday by plaintiffs’ attorneys in Harper v. Hall and Holmes v. Moore responded to North Carolina Republican lawmakers’ unprecedented…

Voting Rights

SCSJ Extends Condolences Following Passing of Common Cause President, Democracy Warrior

DURHAM, N.C. — Southern Coalition for Social Justice extends its deepest condolences to Common Cause and all who knew and loved Karen Hobert Flynn following…

Justice System Reform

Recap: NC Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments in Felony Re-Enfranchisement Case

The North Carolina Supreme Court heard oral arguments February 2, 2023, in CSI v. Moore, a voting rights case that will determine whether people with…

Environmental Justice

Anne Harvey Joins SCSJ as Chief Counsel for Environmental Justice

DURHAM, N.C. — Anne Harvey has joined the Southern Coalition for Social Justice (SCSJ) as the Chief Counsel for Environmental Justice. SCSJ is growing its…

Voting Rights

NC Supreme Court Majority Breaks Precedent to Rehear Settled Redistricting, Voter ID Cases Post Election

RALEIGH, N.C. — In an extreme departure from precedent, the North Carolina Supreme Court announced Friday it would rehear two cases — one involving statewide…

Justice System Reform

SCSJ Stands with Community, Civil Rights Groups in Call for Police Accountability

RALEIGH, N.C. — The Southern Coalition for Social Justice is joining other civil rights groups and the community in calling for an end to over-policing…

Voting Rights

Common Cause Asks NC Supreme Court to Dismiss ‘Frivolous’ Petition to Rehear Partisan Gerrymandering Case

RALEIGH, N.C. — Common Cause North Carolina has asked the North Carolina Supreme Court to dismiss Republican lawmakers’ frivolous attempt to reverse prior redistricting decisions…

Voting Rights

Republican Legislators Petition NC Supreme Court to Toss Precedent, Rehear Voting Rights Cases Involving Discrimination Against Black Voters

RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina Republican lawmakers are wasting no time trying to use the recently-flipped state Supreme Court to their advantage — they filed…

Voting Rights

Sounding the Alarm for Democracy: Voters and Advocates Rally in D.C. as SCOTUS Considers Moore v. Harper

On December 7, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in Moore v. Harper, a case legal experts are calling “the most important debate over federalism…

Voting Rights

Columbus County NAACP Reacts to Racist Sheriff Resignation; New Sheriff Appointment

WHITEVILLE, NC — Jody Greene, the Columbus County Sheriff embroiled in legal trouble over racist remarks and behavior while in office, resigned for a second…

Voting Rights

North Carolina Supreme Court Rejects Gamesmanship in Latest Redistricting Opinion

RALEIGH, N.C. — On Friday, the North Carolina Supreme Court struck down the General Assembly’s remedial Senate map, which was used in the 2022 general…

Voting Rights

North Carolina Supreme Court Strikes Down Voter Photo ID Law as Unconstitutional, Discriminatory

RALEIGH, N.C. — The North Carolina Supreme Court has struck down the legislature’s most recent iteration of a photo voter ID law as an unconstitutional…

Voting Rights

Gov. Roy Cooper Appoints Allison Riggs to Court of Appeals

RALEIGH, N.C. — Southern Coalition for Social Justice Co-Executive Director and Voting Rights Chief Counsel, Allison Riggs, has been appointed by Gov. Roy Cooper to…

Justice System Reform

TOMORROW: Rally With Us to End Death Penalty

From our partners at North Carolina Coalition for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (NCCADP): Please join people from across our state for a march and…

Voting Rights

Columbus County Voter Appeals Local BOE’s Decision to Let Jody Greene Move Ahead as Sheriff

WHITEVILLE, NC — Herman Lewis, second Vice President of the Columbus County NAACP, filed an appeal Monday with the North Carolina State Board of Elections…

Voting Rights

**MEDIA ADVISORY: Common Cause, SCSJ, to Co-Host Pre-Moore v. Harper Rally, Post-Argument Press Conference**

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Common Cause and Southern Coalition for Social Justice (SCSJ) will host a rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court beginning at 9:30 a.m.…

Voting Rights

Media Briefing: How Democracy Will Be Protected in Upcoming SCOTUS Case

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Common Cause, Southern Coalition for Social Justice and global law firm Hogan Lovells held a media briefing Thursday, Dec. 1, outlining the…

Voting Rights

Columbus County Voter Files Petition to Prevent Jody Greene from Taking Office as Sheriff Due to Racist Behavior, Misconduct

WHITEVILLE, NC — Herman Lewis, second Vice President of the Columbus County NAACP, filed a protest Tuesday with the Columbus County Board of Elections asking…

Voting Rights

How to Advocate for Eligible Incarcerated Voters to Cast Ballots

There are more than 740,000 people in jails across the country, the majority of whom are either awaiting trial — they are legally innocent —…

On right, a photo of a smling Black girl with an afro ponytail in front of.a white circle. On left, a photo of a jumping graduate with green decorative elements betweenthe girl and the graduate.

Justice System Reform

Durham School Students, Advocates Discuss School-to-Prison Pipeline at Duke Class

Durham public school students joined social justice advocates at Duke Law last week to discuss school-to-prison pipeline in North Carolina and the barriers preventing its…

Voting Rights

Voting Rights Groups Ask U.S. DOJ to Guard Against Unauthorized Ballot Access in Texas

AUSTIN, TX — Today, the League of Women Voters of Texas and the Southern Coalition for Social Justice called on the U.S. Department of Justice…

Voting Rights

Common Cause, SCSJ File Moore v. Harper Respondents’ Brief Upholding Checks and Balances in Nation’s Elections

The Supreme Court justices will hear oral arguments in the major voting rights case on December 7, 2022 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 19, 2022 Washington,…

Justice System Reform

SCSJ Supports Calls for Columbus Sheriff Investigation, Resignation

Durham, N.C. (Sept. 29, 2022) — WECT News 6 published an article Wednesday detailing racist comments made by Columbus County Sheriff Jody Greene. The Southern…

Justice System Reform

Fair Chance Business S.W.I.T. Encourages Second Chances

Success While In Transition (S.W.I.T.) has partnered with Southern Coalition for Social Justice (SCSJ) to promote Fair Chance Business Certifications among North Carolina employers. S.W.I.T.…

Voting Rights

SCSJ, AALDEF, ACLU of TX, Brennan Center Issue Statement Responding to District Court’s Postponement of Texas Redistricting Trial

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 31, 2022 On Wednesday, August 31, legal counsel representing plaintiffs in the case Fair Maps Texas Action Committee, et al., v.…

Voting Rights