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| The '''Southern Poverty Law Center''' is based in ] in the ] of the ]. It was started in ] by ] and ] as a ] law firm. It is known for its tolerance education programs, its legal victories against ] groups, its tracking of hate groups and its sponsorship of the Maya Lin-designed ]. The Center publishes in-depth analysis of political extremism and ] crimes in the United States in the quarterly ]. | The '''Southern Poverty Law Center''' is based in ] in the ] of the ]. It was started in ] by ] and ] as a ] law firm. It is known for its tolerance education programs, its legal victories against ] groups, its tracking of hate groups and its sponsorship of the Maya Lin-designed ]. The Center publishes in-depth analysis of political extremism and ] crimes in the United States in the quarterly ]. | ||
| ==History== | ==History & Controversy== | ||
| The first case the Center took on forced the local ] to racially integrate their athletic offerings. In ], the center brought its first case against a ]. This was the first of many cases against the Klan. In ], the Klan responded by burning down the Center's offices. Several other attempts to bomb the center and kill Morris Dees have been thwarted. | The first case the Center took on forced the local ] to racially integrate their athletic offerings. In ], the center brought its first case against a ]. This was the first of many cases against the Klan. In ], the Klan responded by burning down the Center's offices. Several other attempts to bomb the center and kill Morris Dees have been thwarted. | ||
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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. 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.
History & Controversy
The first case the Center took on forced the local YMCA to racially integrate their athletic offerings. In 1979, the center brought its first case against a Klu Klux Klan . This was the first of many cases against the Klan. In 1983, the Klan responded by burning down the Center's offices. Several other attempts to bomb the center and kill Morris Dees have been thwarted.
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 fundraising and administrative costs. Guidestar.org states that the center has $131 million in assets on $31 million revenue.
Critics of the Center, including Laird Wilcox and Stephen Bright claim that it has exagerated the threat of white extremist groups for fundraising purposes.
In 1994 the Montgomery Advertiser newspaper published an investigative series revealing financial mismanagement, poor management practices, misleading fundraising, and institutionalized racism in the Center. Former black employees asserted that the Center was "run like a plantation" and complained of discrimination by white supervisors. The Center threatened legal action against the newspaper during the publication of the series, and lobbied against its consideration for journalism awards. The investigative series was a finalist for a 1995 Pulitzer Prize.
External links
- Southern Poverty Law Centre official site
- SPLC Internet-based activism project]
- 'The Church of Morris Dees', a critical look at the SPLC and its founder from Harper's Magazine, reprinted in the Free Republic.
- Harvard University's Nieman Foundation for Journalism Panel Discussion with the investigative reporter who covered the SPLC for the Montgomery Advertiser