Press Releases

Rev. Al Sharpton & National Action Network (NAN) To Continue NAN’s Voter Engagement Tour In Columbia, South Carolina Tuesday, Sept. 25th

REV. AL SHARPTON & NATIONAL ACTION NETWORK (NAN) TO CONTINUE NAN’S VOTER ENGAGEMENT TOUR IN COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA TUESDAY, SEPT. 25TH—

REV. SHARPTON TO PARTICIPATE IN A VOTER PROTECTION FORUM WITH CONGRESSMAN JAMES CLYBURN & CONVENE NAN WORKSHOPS DURING THE DAY LEADING UP TO HIS KEYNOTE ADDRESS TUESDAY NIGHT AT ST. LUKE BAPTIST CHURCH

WHO:
Rev. Al Sharpton, President of National Action Network (NAN) & MSNBC Host
Congressman James E. Clyburn
Pastor Michael A. Walrond, Jr, Head of NAN’s Ministers Initiative
Pastor Michael Baker, Greater St. Luke Baptist Church
WHEN:

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

10:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m.
Congressman James E. Clyburn , Voter Protection Forum
Location: Drew Wellness Center Gymnasium, 2101 Walker Solomon Way Columbia, SC

11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
NAN Voter Engagement Luncheon
Location: Greater St. Luke Baptist Church, 5228 Farrow Road, Columbia, SC

2:00 p.m.- 4:00 p.m.
NAN/Education for a Better America Workshops
Location: Greater St. Luke Baptist Church, 5228 Farrow Road, Columbia, SC

7:00 p.m.- 9:00 p.m.
Evening Worship & Rally – Rev. Al Sharpton to deliver the keynote address
Location: Greater St. Luke Baptist Church , 5228 Farrow Road , Columbia, SC

BACKGROUND:
Reverend Al Sharpton and National Action Network’s Ministers Division will continue NAN’S “Voter Engagement Tour” Columbia, South Carolina on Tuesday, September 25th. The tour is being led by NAN’s Ministers Initiative in key states across the country where voter suppression and disenfranchisement are practiced and voter identification laws are prevalent.

NAN’s Ministers Tour kicked-off on June 28 in Eatonville, Florida at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, and since that date, National Action Network’s tour has been to New Birth Baptist Church Cathedral of Faith International in Miami, Florida, Greater Abyssinia Baptist Church in Cleveland, Ohio, Salem Bible Church in Atlanta, Georgia, Bethel Baptist Church in Tallahassee, Florida, Friendship West Baptist Church in Dallas, TX, and other leading religious institutions where NAN engaged voters and educated them about Voter ID laws.

From now until Election Day, NAN’s goal is to educate and empower the electorate on how to combat these restrictive new voter requirements and ultimately protect voter rights. NAN will tour many of the states and cities impacted by these new draconian laws and align efforts with the local community.  The day-long program will begin with a luncheon with clergy members with a focus on creating an infrastructure in each city to continue voter education and protection. Teaming up with Education for a Better America, NAN will host a workshop during the latter part of the afternoon designed to inform the voting public and engagement volunteers about new and existing laws that will impact them in their respective communities.  The evening will feature a rally at a local church that will feature a keynote address by Rev. Al Sharpton.

NAN’s mission is to work to ensure that every vote in every community across the nation is counted. Voter suppression efforts are threatening the notion of democracy as we know it. When about 5 million Americans may be disenfranchised from the polls this November, according to the Brennan Center for Justice, we understand that complacency is not an option.

Media Contact: Rachel Noerdlinger [email protected]