Mary Frances Berry was in Pittsburgh today to address the 31st Annual Conference on Black History in Pennsylvania at Pitt put on by the State Historical and Museum Commission. Ms. Berry served on the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights from 1980 to 2004 and is now a history professor at the University of Pennsylvania.
Very mindful that she was speaking on the 40th anniversary of Martin Luther King's assassination, Mary Frances Berry emphasized the need for protest, not just voting, to bring about policy change and improve the political and economic situation of African Americans.
Originally appointed to the Civil Rights Commission by President Jimmy Carter, Berry was fired by President Ronald Reagan for criticizing his policies, but she sued and won reinstatement.
Friday, April 4, 2008
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