Sun 6/27 @ 3PM
Most people today know about the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, passed to assure Black people their rights as citizens which they had in theory but not in practice. How many people know there was also a Civil Rights Act of 1871, aka the Ku Klux Klan Act, passed to protect — unsuccessfully — the voting rights of freed slaves.
In that 150 years, the Klan has had several comebacks, Jim Crow was conceived, many people have died to try to gain Black voters access to the polls, and today, Republicans across the country are trying to bring back Jim Crow voting laws.
The Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage is presenting a program called “The State of Hate: Marking the 150th Anniversary of the Ku Klux Klan Act.” Featured speaker, civil rights lawyer Avery Friedman, will talk about how hate groups gain power, how they’re impacting the country today and how the law can be used to lessen their influence. He’ll be joined in conversation with WKYC news anchor Leon Bibb, and former Oh-11 congresswoman, currently President Biden’s Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Marcia Fudge will contribute some observations.
Register for the free virtual program at maltzmuseum.org or call 216-593-0575.