For Release: February 25, 1993, 1:00 pm        Contact:  
Nadine Smith
                                                 
 202/628-4063
                                                 
 Jeanne Clark                                   
                                                703/243-7244

            APRIL 25 NATIONAL MARCH ON WASHINGTON
 TO DEMAND AN END TO DISCRIMINATION AGAINST LESBIAN, GAY & BI 
                            PEOPLE
          TO BE LARGEST EVER OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT 
         AS ISSUE EXPLODES IN NATIONAL CONSCIOUSNESS

NAACP Joins Marchers to  Urge Completion of Unfinished  Civil 
Rights Agenda

Washington, DC -- In a historic move, leaders of the gay & lesbian, 
women's rights and religious communities were joined  today by the 
NAACP, the nation's oldest and largest  civil rights organization, 
in supporting the National March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay and 
Bi Equal  Rights  and Liberation  on  Sunday,  April 25,  1993  in  
Washington, DC.

 In  an  unprecedented  decision,  the  NAACP's  national  board  of  
directors voted unanimously to endorse the March  on Washington as 
the issue of civil  rights for gays  and lesbians exploded  in the 
national consciousness. 

 The endorsement "marks the  beginning of a new  and very important 
coalition," stated Dr. William Gibson, chair of the NAACP Board of 
Directors. "The  NAACP  supports  efforts  to  end  discrimination  
against gay men and lesbians  in areas of American life  where all 
citizens deserve equal protection and equal  opportunity under the 
law. The  NAACP endorses  and  will participate  in this  historic  
national march." 
 
 "Support from the NAACP  comes at a pivotal moment  in the lesbian 
and gay civil  rights movement," stated  Nadine Smith, one  of the 
four National Co-Chairs of the March. 
  "The  attacks  against  gays  in  the   military  along  with  the  
increasing number of  anti-gay statewide  ballot initiatives  have 
galvanized  our  supporters  nationwide,  and   have  dramatically  
demonstrated the  need  for  this  march," continued  Smith.  "Our  
network of grassroots volunteers in more than 100 cities across the 
country have been organizing for the March over the past two years, 
but the recent attacks against us guarantee that a record-breaking 
crowd will converge on the nation's capital, demanding equality and 
justice."
 
 "The  fight  for  equal  protection  under  the  law  has  attained  
unparalleled visibility and  unprecedented influence  in the  U.S. 
Congress and in the White House, but we are far from the reality of 
equality," stated Billy Hileman, Co-Chair of  the March. "However, 
with women's rights  groups, religious  leaders, and  civil rights 
organizations responding to  our call  to arms  and joining us  in 
standing up to discrimination, justice will prevail."

 The March is  the focal point  of a week-long series  of more than  
150 political and cultural events  to advance the lesbian  and gay 
civil rights movement. Mass lobbying days will  precede and follow 
the  March  to  achieve  the  demands  on  the  March's  platform,  
including a call for  passage of a  federal civil rights  bill, an 
end to the military's ban on gays, and increased  funding for AIDS 
research, education and patient care. 

 Smith and Hileman  were joined today  in their call  for action by 
March Co-Chairs  Scout  and Derek  C.  Livingston; George  Carter,  
Deputy Executive  Director  of the  NAACP;  women's rights  leader  
Eleanor Smeal, President  of the Feminist  Majority Fund;  and Jay 
Lintner, Director of the Washington Office of the United Church of 
Christ.

 For more  information about the  April 25 March  on Washington for  
Lesbian, Gay and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation, call the March on 
Washington National Office at 202/628-0493.

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