Fair Campaign Committee

The Fair Campaign Committee was created in 1985 to discourage the use of racially-divisive campaign tactics in local elections. It was founded by Eddie Friend in order to avoid the type of campaigning he saw in 1985's Chicago mayoral election which pitted Harold Washington against Bernard Epton.

The committee encourages candidates to sign pledges to follow the group's "Code of Fair Campaign Practices for Race and Ethnicity", reviews complaints about campaign literature and activities, and publishes its findings. It has no authority for enforcement of its determinations. The current co-chair is James Walker, minister at Spirit of the Living God Ministries.

The committee is made up of the following member organizations:

• Birmingham Area Chamber of Commerce
• Community Affairs Committee of Operation New Birmingham
• Eagle Forum of Alabama
• Greater Birmingham Ministries
• League of Women Voters of Greater Birmingham
• Metro Birmingham NAACP
• National Conference for Community and Justice of Alabama
• Southern Christian Leadership Conference
• Civic Forum of the Young Men's Business Club

References

• Spencer, Thomas (October 1, 2007) "Race an issue in mayoral battle, poll concludes." Birmingham News
• Spencer, Thomas (October 3, 2007) "Candidates pledge to not deal race card." Birmingham News