“Do justice. Love mercy. Walk humbly before your God.”
― William J. Barber II
Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II has served as a pastor in North Carolina since 1993 and has a history of civil rights activism.
“Moral Mondays”
Barber is famous for leading protests he called “Moral Mondays” in Raleigh, North Carolina starting in 2013.
These civil rights demonstrations brought public attention to racist voter ID laws, environmental pollution, and decreased unemployment assistance.
Poor People’s Campaign
In 2017, Barber announced he would lead the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival, an homage to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s call for a campaign of the same name decades before.
Barber has been at the forefront of peacefully protecting democracy and upholding biblical values. In July 2021, he called for a “season of nonviolent direct action” to make the public aware of threats to American democracy. In August, police arrested Rev. Barber and hundreds of other people protesting for voting rights and better wages in Washington, DC.
Right to Vote
Barber has made voting rights a central part of his advocacy. In the tradition of Dr. King, Barber stands up to politicians who try to stop Black people from exercising their right to vote.
“Don’t negotiate away what’s promised in the 15th amendment of the Constitution,” Barber said in 2021. Barber has fought to make the United States live up to its promise in the 15th amendment not to deny the right to vote based on race.