Congressman Jim Moran's News Commentary

Last week, the Civil Rights Act celebrated its 40th Anniversary. It's somewhat hard to imagine that only forty years ago, for the first time in American history, African Americans were given equal access to public schools, facilities and employment opportunities. In memory of President Kennedy's civil rights work, President Lyndon Johnson made a Herculean effort to win support and finally passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1964. At the day of the bill's signing into law, he stood proudly with civil rights luminaries such as Martin Luther King Jr. Since that momentous day, the past four decades have seen both triumphs and setbacks in the struggle to provide and protect the civil rights of all minorities.

After enactment of the Civil Rights Act, numerous achievements have been made in both the political arena and the day to day lives of African Americans. In 1964, only 26% of African Americans had a high school diploma. Today, that number has jumped to 80%. In 1970, there were only roughly 1,500 black elected officials. Now, there are more than 9,000, a 500% increase. Poverty rates for African Americans have also dropped since that time, from 41.8% to 23.9%. These numbers represent significant achievements, but at the same time, they reveal that progress is not complete. There are still a number of inequalities in areas related to health care, education and the workplace that African Americans face.

Racism in America also still exists, and in some parts of the country continues to hamper the ability of minorities to fully achieve the American dream. One is tempted to think that only time will eliminate this from our society. But I believe that it will take a concerted effort by our elected officials and community leaders to tackle these issues head-on in order to help the public bridge the differences that pull us apart. Strong leadership in highly polarized regions from both the minority and white communities is needed to prevail over this barrier.

The 40th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act should serve as both a milestone and a midway point in the struggle to ensure equal opportunities for all minorities. The successes of the past and insight gained from the obstacles we have overcome as a nation should help guide us as we head into the 21st century. Because of the strength in the diverse population of our country, I feel confident that the dividing walls which were broken down in the 1960's will continue to foster greater inclusion and equality for all in the years to come. Falls Church and the Northern Virginia region have continued to serve as exemplary models for the Commonwealth and the entire southern United States and I am very proud to serve a community whose progressive values remain true to this day.