It's less than 40 years since the end of legal segregation in the United States. But the hard won victories of the 1960's civil rights movement are at risk today. From Jim Crow to John Ashcroft, the struggle continues. The Bush Administration, led by Attorney General Ashcroft, is wielding broad new powers under the Patriot Act that they claim will help fight terrorism. And they continue to challenge affirmative action policies that have helped increase educational and employment opportunities for racial minorities. But civil rights activists are fighting back on both fronts; in defense of the Constitution and in support of programs that help undo the legacy of segregation.

Julian Bond
Julian Bond, grandson of a slave, is chair of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). He is professor of history at the University of Virginia and is a scholar in residence at American University in Washington, DC.