Executive Director's Desk

Long Time Passing or Have We Won the War Yet?

In 1963, Rev. Martin Luther King organized a massive march on Washington and delivered his now famous "I Have a Dream" speech. This, and the voter drives throughout the south, paved the way for the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Important steps in empowering the disenfranchised.

Approximately 40 years ago, then President Lyndon B. Johnson declared War on Poverty. No, it was not a war on the poor but on poverty - to eradicate poverty from our Great Society. When I heard about his plan, I was elated. Could it really happen or was it just "pie in the sky?"

Now, 40 years and many presidents later, poverty still exists. In the richest country in the world, we still have abject poverty. Homeless people and families live in cardboard boxes or in shelters, medical treatment for the uninsured and under insured is hard to come by, and domestic violence permeates all income strata.

Can the war on poverty be won successfully? A biblical quote states "there will be poor always." But shouldn't we strive to lessen the effects of poverty on people, children, and families? Employment, Health Care Benefits, Education, Child Care are among the areas that need to be fully addressed. This certainly is an accomplishable goal but it will take hard work and significant funding. After all, it is a War on Poverty and we must be willing to finance it for the betterment of our society.

Thank you,


Robert A. Oakley, Esq.
NWLS Executive Director