The Civil Rights Movement made major strides that summer, yet there was a terrible cost. Thirty-seven churches, 30 black homes and businesses were bombed or burned, and over 1,000 students were arrested. The most horrific aspect of the summer is that three of their workers were murdered - a black volunteer (James Chaney) and white volunteers (Andrew Goodman and Michael Swerner).

As the years have progressed CORE has not sought excessive entitlement programs. Its leaders have sought equality and opportunity for African Americans and people of African descent around the world.

Niger Innis, national spokesperson for CORE, says that, “bootstrap conservatism” is the philosophy of engagement that has permeated the way that CORE views the world. Their web site records that “CORE seeks to establish, in practice, the inalienable right for all people to determine their own destiny…. CORE feels that the most important fundamental freedom for all people is the right to govern themselves. Once this simple ideal is realized, other necessary freedoms will automatically follow.”

CORE believes that the final frontier for the Civil Rights Movement has to do with financial literacy and financial services offered to minorities. The sub-prime mortgage crisis has disproportionately impacted the black community. Further, traditional banking institutions have failed to reach out to hard-working minorities and their families. Something akin to the micro-financing phenomenon, which is occurring in third world nations, needs to occur in the U.S. Small, uncollateralized loans for households and businesses need to be developed. Underlying all of this must be intensive financial training that helps blacks and other minorities make the right financial choices.

Today CORE operates in Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, and the Caribbean, while maintaining their base in the United States.

For all the reasons outlined in this article, I hope that all the major civil rights organizations of our day will return to their roots and live out the values of “The Great Debaters.” If you have not seen this movie make it a point to do so soon. It’s worth the time. The NAACP got it right this time!