National Civil Rights Groups Issue Statement on Anniversary of Jan. 6 Insurrection

Today marks one year since a mob of insurrectionists attempted to overturn the results of the 2021 presidential election through a violent breach of the U.S. Capitol.

In recognition of this anniversary, the leaders of the nation’s top historic civil rights organizations released the following joint statement:

“One year ago, the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol laid bare the perilous state of our democracy. As shocking as it was, the act of domestic terrorism perpetrated on January 6, 2021, was the latest escalation of a long-running struggle in this country between those who believe in a multiracial democracy and those who would use force to install a system of authoritarian white supremacy instead.

“Indeed, it is not incidental that this attempted coup occurred after both an election that featured historic levels of turnout from Black and Brown voters — despite widely documented failures to ensure that Black communities, and other communities of color, could access the ballot without fear of violence and intimidation — and an unprecedented effort from then-President Donald Trump to not only lie about the election, but also to enlist extremist groups in his campaign to thwart a peaceful transfer of power.

“In the time since this infamous day in U.S. history, the threats to our democracy have continued unabated. A combined wave of state voter suppression laws — targeting voting methods used to ensure that voters, particularly black voters, are able to exercise their rights unabated — the coordinated intimidation of election workers and election officials, the post-election efforts to erase and/or suppress the votes cast, and the ongoing gerrymandering of district maps has placed the future of our democracy in extreme peril.

 “With the 2022 primary election season beginning in just two months, the urgency for immediate action cannot be overstated. It is critical that Congress take whatever steps are necessary to immediately pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act to secure the right to vote and uphold the integrity of our electoral system. We also call upon the Biden Administration to use all of its power to help advance this critical legislation. Time is running out. The Senate must act now to remove the threat of the filibuster and immediately pass the much-needed voting rights legislation.”