Washington, DC – Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries spoke on the House Floor in opposition to Rep. Byron Donalds’ claim that Black people were better off under Jim Crow. 

LEADER JEFFRIES: Mr. Speaker, it has come to my attention that a so-called leader has made the factually inaccurate statement that Black folks were better off during Jim Crow. That’s an outlandish, outrageous and out-of-pocket observation. We were not better off when a young boy named Emmett Till could be brutally murdered without consequence because of Jim Crow. We were not better off when Black women could be sexually assaulted without consequence because of Jim Crow. We were not better off when people could be systematically lynched without consequence because of Jim Crow. We were not better off when children could be denied a high-quality education without consequence because of Jim Crow. We were not better off when people could be denied the right to vote without consequence because of Jim Crow. How dare you make such an ignorant observation? You better check yourself before you wreck yourself. I yield back.

Full speech can be watched here.

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