Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drum Major for Justice Advocacy Competition

As one of the National Bar Association's (NBA) signature programs, the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The Competition encourages students to express their views on a pre-selected topic and focuses on the ability of the students to communicate orally and in writing. The contest is also designed to give young people experience in public speaking and provides an opportunity for them to obtain some finan

cial support to continue their education. The National Bar Association’s (“NBA”) first annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drum Major for Justice Advocacy Competition was held at its 75th Annual Convention in Washington, D.C., in 2000. As a result of the overwhelming success of the Competition, the NBA, with the support of the National Bar Institute (“NBI”), adopted it as a national program. The topics of the Competition are always considered from the point of view of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and have included:

·Law enforcement treatment of persons of Arab descent and of the Muslim faith in terrorist investigations.

· The need for reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

·Recommendations for action on the 40th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Acts to address the continuing problem of voter disenfranshisement in minority communities.

·The treatment of juveniles in the criminal justice system.