The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is celebrating 60 years of action using legal advocacy to achieve racial justice, fighting inside and outside the courts to ensure that Black people and other people of color have the voice, opportunity, and power to make the promises of democracy real. The nonpartisan, nonprofit organization mobilizes the private bar’s leadership and resources in combating racial discrimination and the resulting inequality of opportunity.
On Tuesday, June 20, the Lawyers’ Committee marked its 60th anniversary with a signature event at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. This special evening honored the organization’s founding and victories achieved over the years while also reaffirming its commitment to realizing “The Future We Deserve.”
Founded on June 21, 1963, at the request of President John F. Kennedy, the Lawyers’ Committee has spent six decades fighting for issues including voting rights, affirmative action, and digital justice. The Lawyers’ Committee stands on the front lines of the most pressing and complex civil rights problems, using litigation, public education, and other advocacy tools to address discrimination, advance the law and take defensive action when necessary to safeguard fragile gains.
“As we commemorate our 60th anniversary, we look back with pride on a history marked by resilience and triumph in the face of adversity. The Lawyers’ Committee was created to confront and conquer the profound injustices facing Black people and other people of color,” said Damon T. Hewitt, president, and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee. “As we look to the future, we draw strength from our foundation with unshaken resolve. We persist in our pursuit of a society where the ideals of democracy are not just abstract concepts but lived realities for the communities we serve. Together, we can build a future we deserve — a future illuminated by justice, equality, and enduring opportunity.”
