Council of Conservative Citizens

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The Council of Conservative Citizens (CCC) identifies itself as "The True Voice of the American Right." The CCC has been identified as a white nationalist group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, which describes it as "a crudely white supremacist group" and notes that "The group's newspaper, Citizens Informer, regularly publishes articles condemning "race mixing," decrying the evils of illegal immigration, and lamenting the decline of white, European civilization."[1]

Gordon Lee Baum, the founder and former CEO of CCC, died in March 2015.[2]

Profile

According to The Washington Post:

"Council officials contend the organization is a mainstream conservative group advocating such policies as an end to racial quotas and forced busing, restoring states' rights under the 10th Amendment to the Constitution, tough immigration controls and protection of such symbols of southern heritage as Confederate monuments and public displays of the Confederate flag."
"In fact, the Council of Conservative Citizens promotes the views of its leaders and prominent members – a number of whom are strong believers in the preservation of the 'white race,' disagree with Supreme Court rulings ordering desegregation of public facilities and believe the United States is on the verge of losing its identity as a white, European nation. The White Citizens Councils were instrumental in forming private white 'academies' as alternatives to the integrated school systems."[3]

According to ADL / Law Enforcement Resource of America's web page on the CCC:

  • Founded: 1985
  • Headquarters: St. Louis
  • Leader: Gordon Lee Baum, Chief Executive Officer
  • Publication: The Citizens Informer (circulation of 20,000)
  • Background: Established by former activists in the segregationist White Citizens Councils
  • Ideology: white supremacy, white separatism
  • Outreach: Mass mailings, prison newsletter
  • Approach: Advances its ideology by inflaming fears and resentments, among Southern whites particularly, with regard to black-on-white crime, non-white immigration, attacks on the public display of the Confederate flag, and other issues related to "traditional" Southern culture.
  • Connections: Several mainstream figures have spoken at or attended CCC meetings, including Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, Senator Jesse Helms, and former governors Guy Hunt of Alabama and Kirk Fordice of Mississippi.
  • Extremist associations: David Duke, Mark Cotterill, Chris Temple.

Contact Information

P.O. Box 221683
St. Louis, MO 63122-9957
636-940-8474
URL: www.cofcc.org

Related SourceWatch Resources

External links

  • Southern Poverty Law Center, "Council of Conservative Citizen," Extremist Files, accessed June 2015.
  • Keegan Hankes, "Future of the Council of Conservative Citizens Unknown after Founder's Passing," Southern Poverty Law Center, March 9, 2015.
  • Thomas B. Edsall, "[1] The Washington Post, January 13, 1999.