Civil Rights

The City of Madison is inviting  citizens to the Common Council meeting on Tuesday December 3, 2013 at 6:30 pm in Room 201 of the City-County Building and on Thursday, December 12, 2013 from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. for a Community Reception in the Municipal Building lobby to honor the 50th Anniversary of the Equal Opportunities Ordinance.

This year marks the 50th Anniversary of many significant civil rights events, the “March on Washington”, the Bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, the assassinations of President Kennedy and Civil Rights Activist Medgar Evers.  At the local level we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the City of Madison Equal Opportunities Ordinance which was signed in December of 1963. Some of us were alive and remember these events, but more importantly, we all should understand their significance.

Historically, groups like the National Association for the Advancement of Color People, (NAACP) and the  League of Women Voters  have been at the forefront of civil and human rights.  In 1963 in the City of Madison, members of these two groups helped form the Madison Citizens for Fair Housing and were instrumental in addressing discrimination in the City of Madison by helping to draft and secure legal protection for residents of color.  The Equal Opportunities Ordinance predates the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and is now one of the most comprehensive ordinances in the nation, offering protection from discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations for twenty-five protected classes.

“The City of Madison recognizes that while we have made great strides in the past 50 years, there are current Civil Rights issues that require continued commitment and attention,” said Mayor Paul Soglin.

This event is part of a series the City of Madison is organizing to commemorate the 50th anniversary of key events of the Civil Rights Movement. For more information visit the Department of Civil Rights website.