| Revision as of 00:52, 2 July 2004 view source209.74.233.20 (talk) restored balanced section deleted by earlier user← Previous edit | Revision as of 12:46, 2 July 2004 view source Meelar (talk | contribs)Administrators29,708 edits NPOV headerNext edit → | ||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| {{NPOV}} | |||
| The '''Southern Poverty Law Center''' is based in ] in the South of the US. It was started in ] by ] and ] as a ] law firm. Their first case forced the local YMCA to racially integrate their athletic offerings. Now it is known for its tolerance education programs, its legal victories against white supremacist groups, its tracking of hate groups and its sponsorship of the Maya Lin-designed Civil Rights Memorial. The Center publishes in-depth analysis of political extremism and bias crimes in the United States in the quarterly ]. | The '''Southern Poverty Law Center''' is based in ] in the South of the US. It was started in ] by ] and ] as a ] law firm. Their first case forced the local YMCA to racially integrate their athletic offerings. Now it is known for its tolerance education programs, its legal victories against white supremacist groups, its tracking of hate groups and its sponsorship of the Maya Lin-designed Civil Rights Memorial. The Center publishes in-depth analysis of political extremism and bias crimes in the United States in the quarterly ]. | ||
Revision as of 12:46, 2 July 2004
 | The neutrality of this article is disputed. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please do not remove this message until conditions to do so are met. (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
The Southern Poverty Law Center is based in Montgomery, Alabama in the South of the US. It was started in 1971 by Morris Dees and Joe Levin as a civil rights law firm. Their first case forced the local YMCA to racially integrate their athletic offerings. Now it is known for its tolerance education programs, its legal victories against white supremacist groups, its tracking of hate groups and its sponsorship of the Maya Lin-designed Civil Rights Memorial. The Center publishes in-depth analysis of political extremism and bias crimes in the United States in the quarterly Intelligence Report.
In 1996 USA Today reported that the Southern Poverty Law Center was "the nation's richest civil rights organization" with $68 million in assets. In 2003, the Fairfax, Va. Journal reported that 89% of income was spent on fund raising and administrative costs. Guidestar.org states that the center has $131 million in assets on $31 million revenue.
The center claims to be engaged in tolerance education, litigation against white supremacy groups, tracking of hate groups and sponsorship of the Civil Rights Memorial. SPLC publishes in-depth analysis of political extremism and bias crimes in the United States in the quarterly Intelligence Report.
Some people have accused Morris Dees of practicing a modern-day form of McCarthyism using smear campaigns against those who question government actions. Others accuse him of exaggerating the threat of the Ku Klux Klan and militia groups as a mail order fundraising tool.
External links
- Southern Poverty Law Centre official site
- SPLC Internet-based activism project]
- "Watchdogs Exaggerate Hate Threat" (2000 Washington Times news article about SPLC critics)