Poor People’s Campaign

Kamala Harris holds private meeting with Rev. William Barber

By Jack Jenkins — February 15, 2024

(RNS) — The vice president sat down with Barber and the Rev. Kazimir Brown, head of Repairers of the Breach, to discuss poverty and Israel's ongoing assault into the Gaza Strip.

William Barber on recruiting low-wage voters, Biden’s record on poverty

By Kathryn Post — January 19, 2024

(RNS) — 'If you leave this many people in poverty and low wealth, you open up the door for demagogues and people who will use people’s fears and hurts against them,' said the Rev. William Barber.

William Barber II escorted out of movie theater, denied disability accommodations

By Kathryn Post — December 27, 2023

(RNS) — The civil rights leader and minister was there to see ‘The Color Purple’ with his 90-year-old mother.

March for Our Lives, faith leaders call on Florida lawmakers to ‘cease and desist’

By Jack Jenkins — September 15, 2023

(RNS) — 'Instead of focusing on and addressing the real issues, you spend time promoting hate and division, contrary to our deepest religious values,' reads a letter from activists addressed to Florida lawmakers.

Christian nationalism’s opponents are getting organized

By Jack Jenkins — August 11, 2023

(RNS) — Faith groups are teaming up with liberal secular organizations to combat the ideology, which they say is a threat to democracy — and, for many, their religion.

Poverty is a lethal epidemic. It’s time to address it.

By William J. Barber II and Liz Theoharis — June 20, 2023

(RNS) — Politicians who fail to act are complicit in the deaths of thousands.

North Carolina clergy demonstrate against legislature’s new abortion limits

By Yonat Shimron — May 12, 2023

(RNS) — Their aim was to signal that not all Christians oppose abortion. A new state bill bans abortion after 12 weeks, down from the current 20.

Christian nationalists have provoked a pluralist resistance

By Ruth Braunstein — April 21, 2023

(RNS) — Those fighting for our democracy should be making headlines, too.

For embattled TN lawmakers, liberal faith movements were a training ground

By Jack Jenkins — April 17, 2023

(RNS) — '(I) grew up in the moral movement with Rev. Barber and the Poor People's Campaign,' said Rep. Justin Jones.

After biblical protestations, expelled Tennessee lawmakers find support among clergy

By Bob Smietana and Jack Jenkins — April 7, 2023

(RNS) — On Friday, the Poor People's Campaign announced a clergy-led protest to be held in Nashville later this month.

Faith groups mobilize to protect voters as partisanship deepens

By Adelle M. Banks — October 27, 2022

(RNS) — ‘We're not telling people how to vote, but we're telling people (that) just to sit down in your home and not partake in our civic responsibility will only hurt us,’ a rabbi said.

Poor People’s Campaign asks Congress to vote on wages, voting rights before midterms

By Adelle M. Banks — September 28, 2022

WASHINGTON (RNS) — The letters were the latest plea for policy change by the movement modeled after the original Poor People’s Campaign started by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

We need an alternative populist vision to defeat the MAGA movement

By William J. Barber II and Liz Theoharis — August 8, 2022

(RNS) — The moment is ripe for a different kind of popular movement that confronts divisive lies and builds broad coalitions for the common good.

Poor People’s Campaign holds major DC rally to combat poverty

By Jack Jenkins — June 18, 2022

(RNS) — The Rev. William Barber II, co-chair of the Poor People's Campaign, called legislation that hurts the poor ‘forms of policy murder.’

‘You wear out’: How chronic illness grounds and inspires William Barber’s activism