The DC Four Against the Poor: 1972 - a photo on Flickriver

The DC Four Against the Poor: 1972

The National Welfare Rights Organization (NWRO) issues a “wanted” style flyer in March 1972 for four elected officials that they dub “The DC Four Against the Poor” for their support of HR 1—a so-called welfare reform bill.

The four were President Richard M. Nixon, Sen. Abraham Ribicoff (D-CT), Rep. Wilbur Mills (D-AR), and Sen. Russell Long (D-LA) who were strong backers of restricting welfare payments.

The flyer was issued in conjunction with the March 25, 1972 Children’s March for Survival that sought to encircle the White House with poor people and galvanize opposition to the

The children's march was to "encircle" the White House—some carrying the posters of the DC 4 Against the Poor.”

U.S. Park police estimated that 10-15,000 attended the demonstration.

The march was principally sponsored by the National Welfare Rights Organization, although was endorsed by other organizations. Washington, D.C. schools came under intense criticism for permitting District school children to attend the march.

Social safety net programs such as Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), Food Stamps and other minimal income measures were under attack by the Nixon administration and their allies in Congress.

The NWRO was formed in the mid-1960s and was active from 1966-75, involving predominantly low-income Black women. This was the last major demonstration by the group.

By 1972, a split developed in the organization with one tendency led by George Wiley advocating expanding the organization to the working poor and another tendency led by Johnnie Tillmon who advocated pursuing a black feminist agenda. In late 1972, Wiley resigned as Executive Director and Tillmon became the new ED ending the debate.

The organization went bankrupt and ceased to exist in 1975.

Food stamps restrictions were imposed by Congress in 1977 and again in the early 80s, although the program was later expanded. AFDC was effectively ended in 1996 and replaced with Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) which continues in existence today.

For a PDF of this 8 ½ x 11 poster-style flyer, see washingtonareaspark.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/1972-0...

For more information and related images, see flic.kr/s/aHsjtXFH8s

Original held in the American University Library -- Special Collections. Local Identifier SC_Frazier_P_0009

Some rights reserved

Taken on: March 1, 1972

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Sets appears in: • Children's March for Survival 1972

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