A civil rights organization declares a ‘state of emergency’ in the U.S.

Transcript:

JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:

As a candidate in 2024, President Trump promised often to end what he and other conservatives describe as woke policies.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: On Day 1, I will sign a new executive order to cut federal funding for any school pushing critical race theory, transgender, insanity and other inappropriate racial, sexual or political content onto our children.

SUMMERS: And on his first day in office, he did, in fact, sign executive orders rolling back policies around diversity, equity and inclusion.

(SOUNDBITE OF MONTAGE)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER #1: DEI is seemingly dead.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER #2: A January order gave the federal government a hundred and twenty days to identify so-called discriminatory DEI practices in…

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER #3: Ordered that all federal employees with DEI jobs be placed on paid leave by 5 p.m.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER #4: An executive order, which also revokes protecting people seeking certain federal positions from being discriminated against based on their race, color, sex and religion, among other things.

SUMMERS: The executive actions and policy changes have continued over the last six months in the military and the federal government…

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

TRUMP: We’ve ended the tyranny of so-called diversity, equity and inclusion policies all across the entire federal government and indeed the private sector and our military.

(CHEERING)

SUMMERS: …With affirmative action and in education and transgender rights.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

TRUMP: We have removed the poison of critical race theory from our public schools. And I signed an order making it the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders – male and female.

MARC MORIAL: In the last six months, we’ve seen the most aggressive assault on the progress we’ve made in modern American history. But it’s bigger than politics because it is a broad-based assault, using public policy as a weapon against equal opportunity.

SUMMERS: That’s Marc Morial, the president and CEO of the National Urban League.

CONSIDER THIS – the Trump administration says DEI policies are themselves discriminatory. One of the oldest civil rights organizations in America isn’t buying that. It says that in 2025, the administration’s actions have created a state of emergency for Black Americans and undermined democracy for all Americans.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

SUMMERS: From NPR, I’m Juana Summers.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

SUMMERS: It’s CONSIDER THIS FROM NPR. For 49 years, the National Urban League has released a report it calls the State of Black America. This year, its title is State of Emergency: Democracy, Civil Rights And Progress Under Attack. What does it mean that one of the country’s oldest civil rights groups is now declaring an emergency for Black Americans? Marc Morial is president and CEO of the National Urban League.

MORIAL: Great to be with you.

SUMMERS: I want to start off with that question. Briefly describe for us the state of emergency for Black America that you see and spell out in this report.

MORIAL: There’s an unprecedented attack on the gains of the last 70 years. And think about it. Seventy years ago, Brown v. the Board of Education began the dismantling of segregation in America. Ten years later, the passage of the Civil Rights Act. For the first time, there were legal protections against discrimination in fact, not just discrimination in law. That effort is being attacked viciously now. And what – how is it being attacked? Voter suppression, an attack on equal opportunity under the guise that somehow equal opportunity is discriminatory in and of itself – that’s all the attacks on DE and I are – and the cutbacks on government initiatives and programs, whether it’s Medicaid, food stamps, education, veterans’ benefits, that help make America stronger and better and create opportunity for all. Taken together, in the last six months, we’ve seen the most aggressive assault on the progress we’ve made in modern American history.

SUMMERS: There’s a lot to dig into here, so I just want to pull apart some of the specifics. You mentioned the war on policies supporting diversity, equity and inclusion, which I’ll note has been happening for a few years now. To your mind, what has changed since people who oppose these types of policies came into power in the federal government in 2025?

MORIAL: Think about the executive orders that seek to shut down the enforcement mechanisms, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Department of Education and the complete change in mission of the Civil Rights Division. All of these specific things when taken together just simply represent an assault on the idea of equal opportunity, on the idea of racial justice, on the idea of, yes, diversity, equity and inclusion, which is a strength of America – a powerful, powerful strength of America. And that is why so many of us have had to stand up a very strong effort to resist through the courts. Some are protesting. We’re doing everything possible to try to slow down this movement, and it is a movement. It’s called the MAGA movement. You can call it that. But it’s bigger than politics because it is a broad-based assault, using public policy as a weapon against equal opportunity.

SUMMERS: I – well, you mentioned the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division here, and I just want to present you with something that the department posted on the social media site X, formerly known as Twitter. They point out that the Civil Rights Division “has returned to enforcing the law is written fairly, equally and without political agenda,” end quote. How do you read that?

MORIAL: It’s a bogus argument. It’s a cover story. It’s a smoke screen behind the effort to weaponize the Civil Rights Division. Why would you suspend all the civil rights cases that were pending when you took office? Why would you go to court in Louisville and suggest that an officer who had been convicted of a crime get a one-day sentence for shooting into someone’s home after the jury that heard the evidence said he violated her civil rights and…

SUMMERS: You’re talking there about the case related…

MORIAL: …Sentencing guidelines…

SUMMERS: …To the killing of Breonna Taylor.

MORIAL: Of Breonna Taylor, yes. And sentencing guidelines recommend a sentence of multiple years. The department’s rhetoric rings hollow with many of us because what we understand is that it is a diversion. It is trying to divert people away from the real facts, is that they’re saying we’re not going to prosecute police officers who violate people’s civil rights. We’re not going to attack corruption in police departments – so systemic, if you will, corruption or brutality. Instead, we’re going to use the Civil Rights Division to wage war on our political enemies.

SUMMERS: Harrison Fields, who’s a White House spokesman, has said that civil rights groups that oppose the Trump administration aren’t – and I’m quoting Harrison Fields here – “aren’t advancing anything but hate and division, while the president is focused on uniting our country.” Marc Morial, this administration has repeatedly touted and tried to showcase efforts to promote what it calls meritocracy and, it argues is, equality of opportunity. What do you make of that?

MORIAL: The key is, merit for who? And what civil rights laws are about are merit for everyone. In other words, give everyone with merit an opportunity. Historically, in this country, we did not. Merit meant white men. That’s what it meant in fact, and that is how the country was organized until the civil rights laws got passed.

SUMMERS: What would you like to see in response to these actions we’ve been discussing from the Trump administration? What’s the playbook?

MORIAL: Well, I think it’s going to require a change in policy. It’s going to require a change in approach. We’re not going to get that with the Trump administration, clearly. So I think all roads are going to lead to the next set of elections in this country, where Americans are going to have to vote on what they believe the policy and the approach ought to be when it comes to civil rights and equal opportunity.

SUMMERS: This report is the State of Black America, but I just want to ask you, what do you hope that all Americans of all races take away from this report?

MORIAL: I’m glad you asked that question because in many respects, while it is a State of Black America report, it is more a state of the union report in this climate. The attacks on the rule of law, the attacks – let’s just take diversity, equity and inclusion. Diversity, equity and inclusion benefits women – women of all races – and has substantially benefited white women. It benefits Latinos. It’s benefited those who are disabled. It’s benefited large, large numbers of Asians. I mean, the concept of diversity has been about taking those who’ve been locked out, left out and marginalized and giving them a real opportunity to advance into the American mainstream. And so this report is for all Americans. We should understand the Founding Fathers said that we hold these truths to be self-evident that all people are created equal. If those principles mean something, then a more diverse America, a more inclusive America is the way.

SUMMERS: We’ve been speaking with Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League. Thank you so much.

MORIAL: Hey, thank you for having me.

SUMMERS: This episode was produced by Mia Venkat, with audio engineering by Jay Czys. It was edited by Patrick Jarenwattananon and Nadia Lancy. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

SUMMERS: It’s CONSIDER THIS FROM NPR. I’m Juana Summers.