Congress

Rep. James Clyburn Compares Past, Present Fights For Voting Rights

The South Carolina Congressman and House Majority Whip spoke with Newsy on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Rep. James Clyburn Compares Past, Present Fights For Voting Rights
Stefani Reynolds / The New York Times / AP
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South Carolina Congressman and House Majority Whip Rep. James Clyburn spoke with Newsy about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s pivotal role in the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. He also discussed how Dr. King continues to impact voting rights in 2022.

"King really wrote a letter that I think is second to the Bible in timeliness," Clyburn said. "I would say to every parent: Get that letter, 'Letter from Birmingham Jail.' Read it with your children. Share it with them. And get them to understand what was going on this country, what we've done to overcome all of that and what we need to do to sustain it. Just because we have a democracy today doesn't mean we'll have one tomorrow."