Civilrights.org

California Proposition 54

On October 7, 2003, residents in California defeated ballot initiative Proposition 54 — otherwise known as the Classification on Race, Ethnicity, Color, and National Origin (CRECNO) initiative.

If approved, Proposition 54 would have banned California from collecting racial data in all but a few exempted areas. Without data collection, this radical measure would have damaged the state's ability to address disparities by race or ethnicity in health care and disease patterns, educational resources and academic achievement, and hate crimes and discrimination.

Proposition 54 clearly would have undermined civil rights and was a threat to effective civil rights enforcement.

Feature Stories

• Connerly Campaign Contribution Lawsuit Settled, Proposition 54 Backers Disclosed  - 5/20/05
• Civil Rights Groups: Proposition 54 Defeat is Victory for All  - 10/8/03
• LCCR Calls on Candidates to Take a Stand on Proposition 54  - 8/14/03
• Connerly Recognizes Possible Defeat of Proposition 54  - 9/8/03
• Opposition Gears Up for Proposition 54 Battle  - 8/28/03
• Racial/Ethnic Data Necessary for "Color-Blind" Society  - 6/3/03
• NAACP Chair Determined to Block Passage of California's Proposition 54  - 8/14/03
• Court to Determine if Connerly Violated Campaign Donation Law  - 9/16/03
• Civilrights.org Gears Up for Proposition 54 Battle  - 9/2/03
• Civil Rights Groups Allege Funny Financing by Connerly - 7/23/03

More Information

• Text of Proposition 54 Initiative
• LCCR Fact Sheet on Proposition 54
• Partial list of organizations and individuals opposed to Proposition 54
• Issue Brief: Proposition 54: A Threat to Public Health in California (pdf) - Health Professionals for Diversity
• Talking Points: Proposition 54 and its Potential Threat to Public Health in California (pdf) - Health Professionals for Diversity
• Advocacy Letter Opposing Proposition 54 - LCCR - 8/14/03
• California Voters Have Right to Know Where Candidates Stand on Prop 54 - Press Release - 8/14/03

Multimedia

• Former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop (Real Media video)
• Danny Glover (mp3 audio clip)
• Jesse Jackson (mp3 audio clip)