A New Jersey pro civil rights community organization will go to Atlantic City Wednesday, July 12, to demand action from Governor Phil Murphy on ending school segregation.

A letter from the group to the Governor calling for a meeting says, “Over the past four years, we have offered countless opportunities to have this urgently needed conversation, all of which you have been unavailable for.”

The group, Building One New Jersey and the NJ Coalition Against Racial Exclusion (NJ-CARE), has organized dozens of educational events, community meetings, legislative policy forums, as well as protest and marches, all of which the Governor refused to attend. Last year, the coalition objected to Governor Murphy’s participation in the national NAACP convention held in Atlantic City citing his refusal to meet with the group and his active resistance to school integration.

Governor Murphy is the chair of both the Democratic Governors Association and the National Governors Association both will meet in Atlantic City between July 11 and July 14 for their annual summer meetings.

“While Governor Murphy has, so far, refused to talk to us, we believe he will listen to his new constituents – the nation’s other governors, many from states even more segregated than ours, including New York, California, Illinois, and Maryland. Said the Rev. Dr. Willie D. Francois the leader of the coalition “We need our Governor to stop hiding and demonstrate the bold leadership that this issue deserves for our children and for the nation’s governors.”

Rev. Francois also said in an open letter, “While Governor Murphy has, so far, refused to talk to us, we believe he will listen to his new constituents – the nation’s governors. As governor of a grossly segregated, though enormously wealthy, state and the chair of two very vital national organizations, we believe Phil Murphy has a unique opportunity to set a high gubernatorial example by addressing this critical issue of racial justice and economic opportunity. As a ‘Civil Rights governor,’ we contend he has a moral obligation to address this crisis.”

The group will gather at 12:00 at the Hard Rock Hotel in Atlantic City where the National Governors Association meeting will be taking place. “We intend to hand deliver a letter to Governor Murphy” said Rev. Francois “while enlisting the support of his fellow governors who care about this issue and want Governor Murphy to succeed.”