Honoring the Original CORE
CORE members who walked from New York City to Washington, DC to participate in the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, August 28, 1963.
The work of the Council Office of Racial Equity stands on the shoulders of the transformative work of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). CORE was originally founded in 1942 by James Farmer and other visionaries such as George Houser, James Robinson, Samuel Riley, Bernice Fisher, and Homer Jack.
By 1943, CORE changed their name to the Congress of Racial Equality and set out on a mission to, “bring about equality for all people regardless of race, creed, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion or ethnic background.” During the early days of the Civil Rights Movement, CORE emerged as one of the preeminent Civil Rights organizations in the United States. In the 1960s, CORE collaborated with other activist groups to launch initiatives such as the Freedom Rides, the Freedom Summer voter registration project, and the 1963 March on Washington.
The Council Office of Racial Equity honors CORE’s legacy and contributions to advancing racial equity and a more just society.
World Telegram & Sun photo by O. Fernandez. Retrieved from the Library of Congress.
Header mural painted by Eric B. Ricks as part of DPW's MuralsDC program.