(WASHINGTON D.C., 2/24/22) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed the Alabama House of Representatives’ approval of a measure that would allow voters to remove racist language from that state’s Constitution.
HJR 88, passed on a 94 to 0 vote, would put proposed changes to Alabama’s 1901 Constitution on the ballot in November.
The changes would remove a clause from the state prohibition on slavery that allows involuntary servitude, strike language directing poll tax revenues to counties for educational purposes and remove language from a 1956 amendment to the Constitution that would authorize the Legislature to allow children to “attend schools provided for their own race.”
In a statement, CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper said:
“We welcome this step forward in finally removing the remnants of systemic anti-Black racism and white supremacy from Alabama’s legal system. These changes are long overdue.”
He noted that CAIR previously welcomed efforts to remove the racist language from Alabama’s constitution.
Hooper said the American Muslim community and CAIR are standing in solidarity with all those challenging anti-Black racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, antisemitism, and white supremacy.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com