The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights

Contents

• Table of Contents
• Acknowledgments and Caveat
• Preface From LCEF
• Preface From MIT's CRCP
• Introduction: Off Course on a Long Dark Road

Part One

• Section 254
• Section 255
• Section 706
• The Impact on Rural America

Part Two

• Section 202
• Media Mergers (1995-2001)
• A Brief Note on Mergers
• Telecom Mergers (1996-2001) 
• Section 336

Part Three

• Section 257
• Section 714

Afterword

• Does the Digital Divide Still Exist?

Appendix

• The Authors
• About CRFCP
• About LCEF
• About MIT's CRCP

Leadership Conference Education Fund

About the Leadership Conference Education Fund

America is more than just another country. It is a continuing experiment in whether people who trace their heritage to every nation on earth can live together as one nation, with equal rights and mutual respect.

The Leadership Conference Education Fund works for the success of the American experiment. We support the efforts of the civil rights groups that comprise our sister organization, the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, to combat discrimination in all its forms. And we seek to build the public understanding that is essential for our nation to continue its journey towards social and economic justice.

The Leadership Conference Education Fund (LCEF), an independent, non-profit, tax-exempt, research organization established to support educational activities relevant to civil rights, enjoys a close relationship with the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, the nation's oldest and most broadly based coalition. LCEF's mission is to strengthen the Nation's commitment to civil rights and equality of opportunity for all. Through a number of forums, LCEF seeks to communicate to the American people about the progress made in civil rights, the continuing challenges, and the strength of the Nation's diversity.

Specifically, LCEF monitors closely the Federal Government's enforcement of civil rights, Supreme Court decisions and legislative initiatives related to civil rights, and issues reports for broad dissemination on the effectiveness of civil rights legislation as enforced by the courts and executive agencies. It serves as an information clearinghouse on civil rights issues, sponsors conferences and symposia, and through its civil rights education campaign seeks to build a national consensus to combat bigotry of all kinds. It is our view that an informed public is more likely to be support of public policies that promote equality of opportunity and to be committed to improving intergroup understanding across differences.

LCEF is currently producing a report on improving intergroup relations within institutions-education, neighborhoods/ community programs and the workplace. The report examines strategies that promote intergroup understanding and reduce prejudice. Systemic problems as well as effective programs that promote constructive race relations within the workplace, education arena, and neighborhoods are explored. The report will be disseminated widely and will be a useful resource for individuals and communities seeking to establish such programs or to connect with existing programs.

LCEF Board of Directors

• William L. Taylor, President, Civil Rights and Children's Rights Attorney
• Muriel Morisey, Vice-President, Professor of Law, Temple University School of Law
• Patrisha A. Wright, Treasurer, Director of Government Affairs, Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF)
• William L. Robinson, Secretary, Dean, District of Columbia School of Law
• Barbara Arnwine, Executive Director, Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law
• Mary Frances Berry, Geraldine R. Segal Professor of American Thought, and Professor of History University of Pennsylvania
• Mark Lloyd, Executive Director, Civil Rights Forum on Communications Policy
• Cheryl Mills, Senior Vice President, Corporate Programming, Oxygen Media, Inc.
• Ralph G. Neas, President, People For the American Way
• Carolyn Osolinik, Partner, Mayer Brown & Platt