Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
Washington Coalition of more than 240 US civil and human rights groups, founded in 1950.
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights speaks for more than 240 groups in the dispute over Justice Department poll monitors. The NAACP sued on 5 October 2026 for records on the 1,000 monitors due out in November.
Last refreshed: 18 October 2026
Timeline for Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
Mentioned in: NAACP sues for DOJ poll-monitor records
US Midterms 2026Background
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is the largest US civil-rights Coalition. It enters the 2026 midterms through the fight over Justice Department poll monitors: Harmeet Dhillon said the department would send about 1,000 to Nevada, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island, and the NAACP sued for records on them.
Arnold Aronson, A. Philip Randolph and Roy Wilkins founded it in 1950 as the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights. It added "human rights" to its name in 2010. It is a 501(c)(4) based in Washington, DC, with more than 240 member organisations.
The Coalition lobbied for the Civil Rights Acts of 1957, 1960 and 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Fair Housing Act of 1968.
What is the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights?
Who founded the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights?
Why are Justice Department poll monitors disputed in 2026?
Written with AI from Lowdown's published reporting. Not individually reviewed by an editor. Updated 18 October 2026. Editorial standards.