Press Releases

Statement From Reverend Al Sharpton Upon Leaving The White House After The President Signed The White House Initiative On Education Excellence

July 26, 2012 (Washington, DC)—-“After witnessing President Obama signing an Executive Order establishing the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African-Americans in the Oval Office, I strongly feel that today’s announcement could be a game changer for millions of African-Americans students and families and a significant step towards closing the education gap in our country.  With many of our communities in crisis mode because of gang and street violence, it is of major importance that we not only deal with the immediate wave of gang violence, but do what the President did today, and specialize in building a solid foundation and future for those who need it most. From the beginning of his Administration, National Action Network (NAN) and I have worked with the President in the area of education. In his first month in office, President Obama invited former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and me to the Oval Office and had us tour five cities around the issue of equal education. To now see it crystallized into a permanent initiative is a natural and necessary progression of his Presidency and we at NAN salute him and will aggressively work with this new initiative.”

Reverend Al Sharpton, President of National Action Network and MSNBC Host