Janai Nelson

Georgia's highest court sides with slave descendants fighting to protect threatened island community Georgia's highest court is siding with Black landowners in a zoning dispute affecting a historic Gullah-Geechee community.

Congratulations to the Gullah-Geechee community on this historic win for land preservation. Georgia’s highest court sides with slave descendants fighting to protect threatened island community apnews.com/article/gull...

Trump Administration Live Updates: U.S. Begins Shutdown That Could Lead to Mass Layoffs and Service Cuts

Well, isn’t this great? Yet? Again? Asking for the millions of tax-paying Americans who will suffer needlessly because of this circus called an administration.

Government Shuts Down After Senate Spending Votes Fail
www.nytimes.com/live/2025/09...

Progressive nonprofits condemn Trump's targeting of George Soros and his foundations Dozens of progressive nonprofits condemned President Donald Trump’s general attacks on his political opponents and a specific report of a potential investigation into billionaire George Soros’ philant...

LDF is proud to join this important effort to denounce the baseless targeting of civil society.

Progressive nonprofits condemn Trump's targeting of George Soros and his foundations apnews.com/article/atta...

What the Public Memory of Charlie Kirk Revealed

Powerful new piece by Nikole Hannah Jones on the mainstreaming of extremism via collective tragedy and trauma.

What the Public Memory of Charlie Kirk Revealed www.nytimes.com/2025/09/28/m...

Still heartbroken over the passing of freedom fighter Assata Olugbala Shakur who died in exile in Cuba. Assata means “she who struggles” and she never left the struggle even during her decades of asylum. May she rest in peace and power—and as an example of undaunted resistance & resilience.

Former Fed Chairs Urge Supreme Court to Protect Fed Independence Leading U.S. economic policymakers over the last 35 years, including every living former chair of the Federal Reserve, urged the Supreme Court to allow Fed governor Lisa Cook to rem

Former Fed Chairs Urge Supreme Court to Protect Fed Independence in support of Lisa Cook

www.wsj.com/livecoverage...

Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Develops New Strategy to Counter Domestic Terrorism and Organized Political Violence COUNTERING DOMESTIC TERRORISM: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a National Security Presidential Memorandum (NSPM) establishing a comprehensive

The Comey indictment coupled with today’s executive order targeting so-called antifa groups and supporters is another significant acceleration in our descent as a nation to one marked by overt political retribution and absolute abuse of executive power.
www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/...

Former FBI Director James Comey indicted days after Trump demanded his DOJ move 'now' to prosecute enemies Former FBI Director James Comey has been indicted just days after President Trump issued a public demand for the DOJ to act "now" to prosecute him, sources say.

BREAKING: Despite the lack of clear evidence and ethical concerns about bringing a case without clear probable cause,per sources, Halligan sought an indictment of FMR FBI Director James Comey days after Trump demanded DOJ move 'now' to prosecute enemies. abcnews.go.com/US/former-fb...

Trump Appointees Roll Back Enforcement of Fair Housing Laws

Trump-known violator of housing discrimination laws-forced HUD employees to discriminate on taxpayers' dime according to whistleblowers. Housing discrim exacerbates segregation & concentrated poverty. LDF's fight for fair housing just got turbocharged.
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/22/r...

Legacy Civil Rights Organizations Condemn House Resolution Glorifying Charlie Kirk’s Record and Call for Meaningful Action to Address Hate Read a PDF of our statement here. A coalition of leading civil rights organizations issued the following statement in response to recent developments, including the passage of House Resolution 719. Wh...

Legacy Civil Rights Organizations Condemn House Resolution Glorifying Charlie Kirk’s Record and Call for Meaningful Action to Address Hate - www.naacpldf.org/news/legacy-...

LDF Mourns the Loss of Agnes Gund, Devoted Philanthropist and Advocate for Social Good Read a PDF of our statement here. The Legal Defense Fund (LDF) is deeply saddened by the passing of Agnes Gund, a devoted philanthropist whose enduring commitment to racial and social justice left a l...

LDF Mourns the Loss of Agnes Gund, Devoted Philanthropist and Advocate for Social Good - www.naacpldf.org/press-releas...

Roll Call 282 Roll Call 282, Bill Number: H. Res. 719, 119th Congress, 1st Session VOTE QUESTION: On Agreeing to the Resolution, DESCRIPTION: Honoring the life and legacy of Charles “Charlie” James Kirk, VOTE TYPE: Yea-And-Nay, STATUS: Passed

Members of the House just passed H.Res.719 by a 310-58 vote including the following CBC members: Minority Leader Jeffries (NY), Rep. Don Davis (NC), Rep. Gregory Meeks (NY).

clerk.house.gov/Votes/2025282

At a time when our fed govt has launched a war on truth and history-incl’g erasing the contributions of Black ppl in the making and molding of our country-lawmakers face a choice about who and what they will lionize in this moment. Denouncing violence does not require the veneration of vile beliefs.

LDF Files Amicus Brief Opposing National Guard Deployment in D.C. This week, the Legal Defense Fund (LDF) filed an amicus brief in District of Columbia v. Trump, urging the court to grant the request for a preliminary injunction to enjoin the administration’s deploy...

LDF Files Amicus Brief Opposing National Guard Deployment in D.C. www.naacpldf.org/press-releas...

It’s never too late to check your voter registration status!

Demartravion “Trey” Reed’s death is a tragedy under any circumstances. There are disturbingly familiar historical markers. Delta State and local law enforcement owe his family, the students, and the broader community full transparency and swift action. Skepticism can only be countered with facts.

Political violence is an old evil that has haunted this country long before it became a republic. We must be able to parse our disdain for it in all forms from the duty to call out undeniable hate-mongering & demagoguery masquerading as valor & righteousness. www.vanityfair.com/news/story/c...

Appeals court denies Trump bid to remove Federal Reserve board member Lisa Cook The Trump administration is likely to race to the Supreme Court before Tuesday’s Fed meeting.

BREAKING: Appeals court denies Trump bid to remove Federal Reserve board member Lisa Cook politi.co/3IdXFkg via @politico

Today we honor the Black children killed in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing a cruel act of racist terror. Their loss fuels our fight for justice and peace. Say their names: Addie Mae, Denise, Carole, Cynthia, Virgil Ware, and Johnny. We must never forget.

#BlackHistory #CivilRights

#OTD we celebrate the birth of one of the most extraordinary lawyers and jurists this country has even known: Constance Baker Motley. She broke boundaries, barriers and the back of Jim Crow as LDF’s 1st Black woman litigator, Supreme Court oralist, Manhattan Borough President & federal judge. #GOAT

America Dragged Back to Jim Crow as Trump’s Project 2025 Reshapes the Nation BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — America is no longer drifting toward authoritarianism. It is living it. Project 2025 has been instituted, and the results are clear.

Our democracy stands at a crossroads, a path of infinite promise … on the one hand, and one of immeasurable and irretrievable demise on the other. The assault on Black communities envisioned by Project 2025 will almost certainly condemn us to demise.
blackpressusa.com/america-drag...

LDF Condemns the Fatal Shooting of Charlie Kirk Legal Defense Fund (LDF) President and Director-Counsel Janai Nelson issued the following statement in response to the fatal shooting of self-described right-wing activist and media personality Charli...

LDF Condemns the Fatal Shooting of Charlie Kirk - www.naacpldf.org/press-releas...

Judge blocks Trump’s bid to fire Lisa Cook from Federal Reserve board Federal law gives Trump the power to fire members of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors “for cause,” which typically means serious misconduct or malfeasance on the job.

Judge blocks Trump’s bid to fire Lisa Cook from Federal Reserve board politi.co/4693TK1 via @politico

Oklahoma law banning critical race theory faces legal challenge Two national groups have filed a brief challenging an Oklahoma law that restricts the teaching of critical race theory, arguing it violates the First Amendment.

The war on truth, though less visible than the misdeployment of the National Guard, is at the core of the extremist takeover of our country and we’re fighting back: In a new brief LDF & @splcenter say Oklahoma’s HB 1775 violates students’ 1st Amendment rights. #WATCH
www.koco.com/article/okla...

DC sues Trump administration to stop National Guard deployment thehill.com/regulation/c...

Joseph McNeil, known for 1960 lunch counter sit-in protest, dies aged 83

There is no more important time to support independent Black-owned media. Thank you, @rolandsmartin for creating and expanding this space for news, information, and community.

Congratulations to LDF client and newly re-elected Mayor of Newburn, AL Patrick Braxton! He reps the majority Black town where elections were suppressed for decades and he was shut out of office until our legal team challenged-a win for Mr. Braxton and for democracy. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/29/u...

#OTD LDF Founder Thurgood Marshall became the first Black U.S. Supreme Court Justice. A civil rights giant enters the nation's highest court.

Never forget the power of protest, presence and people. When 250,000+ people converged on the Washington Mall 62 years ago to demand jobs, freedom, and racial justice, the nation listened and acted. We can do it again with more tools and technology. We march because we must. #UnfinishedBusiness