On this day in 1886, the Statue of Liberty was dedicated in New York City. Lady Liberty has served as an enduring, national symbol of the importance of welcoming immigrants and refugees to the United States. Given the adverse health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, advocates are urging Congress to eliminate barriers based on immigration status to public programs like Medicaid, CHIP, and SNAP. Cite the values of Community and Economic Security.
Tag: social justice
U.S. prison population surpassed one million people
On this day in 1994, the Department of Justice announced that the U.S. prison population surpassed one million people for the first time in history. In 2020, the number of people held in local jails and state and federal prisons dropped to roughly 1.8 million — a 14% decrease from 2.1 million in 2019. Use this anniversary to discuss the need to end money bail, release people in response to COVID-19, and end mass incarceration. Cite the values of Redemption and Voice.
Humphrey–Hawkins Full Employment Act
On Oct. 27, 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed into law the Humphrey–Hawkins Full Employment Act to address rising unemployment. As many workers and families continue to struggle with job losses and economic downturn from COVID-19, use this hook to talk about how the government still has a role in assisting Americans who are bearing the brunt of our unfair economic system. Discuss the values of Community and Economic Security.
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
On Oct. 24, 1938, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) took effect, creating for the first time a federal right to a minimum wage and overtime while also banning child labor. Discuss this important anniversary by citing the values of Economic Security and Mobility.
W. E. B. Du Bois and the NAACP petitioned the United Nations
On Oct. 23, 1947, W. E. B. Du Bois and the NAACP petitioned the United Nations with a document titled “An Appeal to the World: A Statement on the Denial of Human Rights to Minorities in the Case of Citizens of the United States of America and an Appeal to the United Nations for Redress.” They asked for the U.N.’s help to address human rights violations the United States committed against its African-American citizens, such as lynching, segregation, and the gross inequalities in education, housing, health care, and voting rights.
Birth of Maria Moreno
The first woman farmworker hired to be a union representative, Maria Moreno, was born on this day in 1920. Moreno was a vocal fighter for impoverished farm workers in California in the late 1950s and early 1960s. A film about her life is premiered on PBS in September. Discuss Moreno’s birthday by citing the values of Community, Voice, and Economic Security.
National Day of Protest against Police Brutality
The October 22 Coalition to Stop Police Brutality, Repression, and the Criminalization of a Generation has mobilized the National Day of Protest against Police Brutality every year since 1996. Cite the values of Voice, Equality, and Community.
Families separated at the U.S.-Mexico border
On this day in 2020, lawyers tasked with reunifying families separated at the U.S.-Mexico border under the Trump Administration’s pilot program revealed the parents of 545 children were yet to be found. In June 2021, the Biden Administration’s task force reported that 2,127 children separated under the “zero-tolerance” program still await reunions. Uplift human rights and guarantee of Equality and Family Unity when discussing this anniversary.
First African Americans were elected to the House of Representatives.
On this day in 1870, the first African Americans were elected to the House of Representatives. In South Carolina, Black Republicans won three of the state’s four congressional seats. The Zinn Education Projects points out that Reconstruction, the era immediately following the Civil War and emancipation, “is full of stories that help us see the possibility of a future defined by racial equity.” Discuss this anniversary by citing the values of Voice and Community.
The Clean Water Act
On this day in 1972, The Clean Water Act became law. Despite these protections, hundreds of thousands of Americans are exposed to contaminated drinking water. Use this anniversary to discuss the importance of equitable investments in infrastructure improvements. Cite the values of Community and Economic Security.
