“The Attack On Voting Rights And The War On Black People,” Forum Part 2 To Be Held Friday June 26
Photos: Facebook The second part of a forum entitled “The Attack On Voting Rights And The War On Black People,” will be held Friday, June 26, 2026, 7:00pm at St Paul’s Baptist Church, 119 Elm Street in Montclair, New Jersey. Screenshot The event is sponsored by the People’s Organization For Progress (POP), a grassroots volunteer group that works for racial, social, economic justice and peace. “The purpose of this forum is to give people an opportunity to continue our dialogue on the negative impact of the racist and fascist domestic and foreign policies of the Trump administration on Black people and strategies for fighting back,” Lawrence Hamm, Chairman, People’s Organization For Progress stated. Part one of the forum was held on May 29th at the same location. During that session numerous presentations were made by elected officials, community leaders, and activists. “During the last session most of the program consisted of presentations by the invited speakers. This time most of the program will be devoted to audience participation so we can hear what the people have to say,” Hamm said. “At the end of the of the last program we polled the audience and asked them if they wanted to have a second session to continue the dialogue and the overwhelming majority responded affirmatively,” he said. Hamm said POP decided to have the first program after the U.S. Supreme Court announced its decision in the Louisiana v. Callais case. That ruling eviscerated the 1965 Voting Rights Act. “In terms of civil rights and racial equity that was one of the worst U.S. Supreme Court decisions since the Dred Scott case of 1857 when the court said that black people had no rights that white people were bound to respect,” he said. Hamm said the court’s decision enables racist state legislatures to redraw their congressional districts and eliminate those which have large Black populations. This could result in the loss of as many as 19 congressional seats now held by African Americans. Besides voter suppression and the attack on voting rights Hamm cited other reasons for calling the forum. “Black people continue to experience the highest rates of racist violence. Black Americans experience the highest rate of police brutality and fatal shootings by police. Black people are three times more likely to be killed by police than whites. “Black student enrollment at colleges and universities continues to decline due to the Supreme Court decision to end affirmative action in higher education. “Since the beginning of Trump’s second term Black unemployment has doubled with more than 600,000 Black people losing their jobs, including 350,000 Black women, due to a sagging economy, federal budget cuts, and the ending of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs,” he said. “The Trump administration is perhaps the most openly racist and certainly the most corrupt in my lifetime. His racist and fascist rhetoric and vitriolic attacks exceed that of his contemporaries,” he said. “The reactionary policies of the White House, ultra conservative decisions of the Supreme Court, and right wing legislation of Congress and state legislatures makes it feel like there is a war on Black people in this country,” Hamm said. “The response to the first forum was so positive that we have decided to have this same discussion in other cities and towns across New Jersey. Other programs are already scheduled and will be announced soon,” he said. For more information please call People’s Organization for Progress at 973 801-0001.
Black News 
Photos: Facebook
The second part of a forum entitled “The Attack On Voting Rights And The War On Black People,” will be held Friday, June 26, 2026, 7:00pm at St Paul’s Baptist Church, 119 Elm Street in Montclair, New Jersey.
The event is sponsored by the People’s Organization For Progress (POP), a grassroots volunteer group that works for racial, social, economic justice and peace.
“The purpose of this forum is to give people an opportunity to continue our dialogue on the negative impact of the racist and fascist domestic and foreign policies of the Trump administration on Black people and strategies for fighting back,” Lawrence Hamm, Chairman, People’s Organization For Progress stated.
Part one of the forum was held on May 29th at the same location. During that session numerous presentations were made by elected officials, community leaders, and activists.
“During the last session most of the program consisted of presentations by the invited speakers. This time most of the program will be devoted to audience participation so we can hear what the people have to say,” Hamm said.
“At the end of the of the last program we polled the audience and asked them if they wanted to have a second session to continue the dialogue and the overwhelming majority responded affirmatively,” he said.
Hamm said POP decided to have the first program after the U.S. Supreme Court announced its decision in the Louisiana v. Callais case. That ruling eviscerated the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
“In terms of civil rights and racial equity that was one of the worst U.S. Supreme Court decisions since the Dred Scott case of 1857 when the court said that black people had no rights that white people were bound to respect,” he said.
Hamm said the court’s decision enables racist state legislatures to redraw their congressional districts and eliminate those which have large Black populations. This could result in the loss of as many as 19 congressional seats now held by African Americans.
Besides voter suppression and the attack on voting rights Hamm cited other reasons for calling the forum.
“Black people continue to experience the highest rates of racist violence. Black Americans experience the highest rate of police brutality and fatal shootings by police. Black people are three times more likely to be killed by police than whites.
“Black student enrollment at colleges and universities continues to decline due to the Supreme Court decision to end affirmative action in higher education.
“Since the beginning of Trump’s second term Black unemployment has doubled with more than 600,000 Black people losing their jobs, including 350,000 Black women, due to a sagging economy, federal budget cuts, and the ending of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs,” he said.
“The Trump administration is perhaps the most openly racist and certainly the most corrupt in my lifetime. His racist and fascist rhetoric and vitriolic attacks exceed that of his contemporaries,” he said.
“The reactionary policies of the White House, ultra conservative decisions of the Supreme Court, and right wing legislation of Congress and state legislatures makes it feel like there is a war on Black people in this country,” Hamm said.
“The response to the first forum was so positive that we have decided to have this same discussion in other cities and towns across New Jersey. Other programs are already scheduled and will be announced soon,” he said.
For more information please call People’s Organization for Progress at 973 801-0001.
