The Institute for Research & Education on Human Rights (IREHR) had the honor to first release its report, The Tea Party in North Carolina: Threat to a New Birth of Freedom, on Friday, October 10, at the North Carolina NAACP State Conference in Fayetteville. Devin Burghart gave a powerful talk outlining the main elements of the report, and then answered questions. His presentation made a difference in the conference. Devin was also interviewed by an independent filmmaker who was creating a documentary on the Moral Monday movement in North Carolina.

Rep. Keith Ellison speaking at the 2014 NC NAACP Convention (IREHR)

In addition, when Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) spoke at the conference, he specifically called out Leonard Zeskind’s name, remembering when Zeskind served as an expert witness on skinheads for him in the defense of an anti-racist activist. IREHR was the guest of the North Carolina NAACP, and it was an absolute pleasure to be part of a conference of an organization that is at the heart of a mass movement. Thanks to all the officers and members who made our participation in that conference possible.