The Southern Poverty Law Center is dedicated to fighting hate and bigotry and to seeking justice for the most vulnerable members of our society.  Using litigation, education, and other forms of advocacy, the Center works toward the day when the ideals of equal justice and equal opportunity will be a reality.

We employ a three-pronged strategy to battle racial and social injustice:

  • We track the activities of hate groups and domestic terrorists across America, and we launch innovative lawsuits that seek to destroy networks of radical extremists.
  • We use the courts and other forms of advocacy to win systemic reforms on behalf of victims of bigotry and discrimination.
  • We provide educators with free resources that teach school children to reject hate, embrace diversity and respect differences.

 

Our Current Priorities

child in juvenile justice system

Children at Risk

Thousands of vulnerable children – disproportionately black and often suffering from learning disabilities – are being needlessly pushed out of schools and into the juvenile justice system.

Hate and Extremism

The Southern Poverty Law Center monitors hate groups and extremists throughout the United States and exposes their activities to law enforcement agencies, the media and the public. We’ve crippled some of the country’s most notorious hate groups by suing them for murders and other violent acts committed by their members.
immigrant farmworkers

Immigrant Justice

Immigrants perform some of the hardest, most dangerous jobs in our economy – for the least amount of pay. But they are routinely cheated out of their wages and denied basic protections in the workplace. They face bigotry and discrimination in their communities and are vulnerable to hate crimes.
LGBT Rights

LGBT Rights

The SPLC is dedicated to defending the rights of the LGBT community. Our current work has a national reach but is primarily focused on the Southeast where relatively few organizations advocate for this community.
teaching tolerance

Teaching Tolerance

The Southern Poverty Law Center’s Teaching Tolerance program reduces prejudice, improves intergroup relations and supports equitable school experiences for our nation’s children. We provide free anti-bias resources to teachers.