MARCH IN HISTORY
March 7, 1965
(Selma, Ala.) Blacks begin a march to Montgomery in support of voting rights but are stopped at the Pettus Bridge by a police blockade. Fifty marchers are hospitalized after police use tear gas, whips, and clubs against them. The incident is dubbed "Bloody Sunday" by the media. The march is considered the catalyst for pushing through the voting rights act five months later.
"If the worst in American life lurked in [Selma's] dark streets, the best of American instincts arose passionately from across the nation to overcome it."
— Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., March 25, 1965
Thank You for Joining us for the Human Rights at Home: Responding to Structural Discrimination and Police Violence Feb. 25 Virtual Event. Check back soon for meeting resources.
"PROTECTING CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS AROUND THE WORLD"
The mission of the International Association of Official Human Rights Agencies (IAOHRA) is to provide opportunities and forums for the exchange of ideas and information among member agencies and other human rights advocates.
IAOHRA provides assistance in the development of programs for eliminating illegal discrimination in employment, housing, education, public accommodations, public services and commercial transactions, including banking and lending practices.
We develop educational programs on human rights and civil rights issues, and serves as a clearinghouse for information exchange between human rights agencies around the world.
GET INVOLVED
We connect you to the best and brightest experts in every issue area critical to the human and civil rights effort through IAOHRA meetings and professional training opportunities, you’ll connect with civil rights professionals with your same interests and concerns.
PAY MEMBER DUES
Pay All State, County, Individual and Sponsorship memberships here.
SUPPORT OUR WORK
Since 1949, IAOHRA supporters have been vigilant and vigorous defenders of civil and human rights for all. We’ve made great progress on important issues, but there is much more work to be done.
You are vital to IAOHRA in assisting us in fulfilling our goal.
We have more civil and human rights history to make.
OUR OBJECTIVE
The goals of IAOHRA are:
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To foster human and intergroup relations.
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To enhance human rights practices under law.
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To promote civil and human rights around the world.
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The association has provided leadership in the development and enforcement of needed statutes and ordinances-local, state, and federal - to safeguard the human and civil rights of all people.
IAOHRA SPOTLIGHTS MEMBER AGENCY
Overview of DCR
The New Jersey Division on Civil Rights (DCR) is the state agency charged with enforcing New Jersey’s civil rights laws, including the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD) and the New Jersey Family Leave Act (NJFLA). The mission of DCR is to protect the people of New Jersey from discrimination and bias-based harassment in employment, housing, and public accommodations.
The LAD, one the most comprehensive anti-discrimination laws in the country, prohibits discrimination and harassment based on actual or perceived race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability and other protected characteristics. The law applies in employment, housing, and places of public accommodation (places open to the public, including businesses, restaurants, schools, summer camps, medical providers, government offices and agencies, etc.).
DCR has several bureaus that work to prevent, eliminate, and remedy individual and systemic discrimination and bias-based harassment:
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DCR’s Enforcement Unit has a team of neutral investigators who investigate complaints of discrimination and bias-based harassment;
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DCR’s Legal Unit has a team of attorneys who work with investigators on investigations, evaluating the parties’ legal claims and defenses, and assisting the Director in deciding motions and in reaching ultimate findings in each case;
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DCR’s Community Relations Unit has a team of community relations specialists who work to prevent acts of discrimination and bias-based harassment through education and community engagement and work directly with impacted communities after civil rights incidents.
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DCR’s Strategic Initiatives and Enforcement Unit has a team of attorneys who draft statutory amendments and regulations, issue reports to raise the profile of civil rights issues, draft legal guidance documents, and undertake Director-Initiated Investigations into possible patterns and practices of discrimination.
Anyone who believes their rights under the LAD have been violated may file a complaint with DCR within 180 days of the incident. Click here to learn more about filing a complaint with DCR
Mission Statement
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The mission of DCR is to: prevent, eliminate and remedy discrimination and bias-based harassment in employment, housing, and places of public accommodation throughout New Jersey.
Vision Statement
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DCR’s vision is: A New Jersey free from discrimination and bias where all people are treated with equal dignity and equal respect and have access to equal opportunity.
For more information about the NJ Division of Civil Rights visit www.njcivilrights.gov