Ward Connerly Biography

Ward Connerly, author of Creating Equal: My Fight Against Race Preferences, is the founder and chairman of the American Civil Rights Institute, a nationwide, non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public about the need of moving beyond racial and gender preferences. Connerly has garnered national recognition and respect as an ardent supporter of equal opportunity for all Americans, regardless of color, gender, or ethnicity. As a member of the University of California Board of Regents, Connerly brought national attention to the University's race-based preference system in admissions policy. Following Connerly's example, a majority of the Regents decided on July 20, 1995, to abolish the University's use of race as a basis of admissions. In March 1993, he was appointed to a 12-year term as a UC Regent. Connerly was appointed head of the California Civil Rights Initiative (Proposition 209) campaign in 1995. When he realized the campaign was in risk in December 1995, he embraced this task. Under his direction, the campaign collected over one million signatures and qualified for the November 1996 ballot. Proposition 209 was approved by voters in California by a 55 percent to 45 percent majority. Connerly has received numerous honors and awards from supporters across the country, including the Patrick Henry Award (1995) from The Center for the Study of Popular Culture and Individual Rights Foundation, the National Columbia Award (1996) from the Washington Institute for Public Policy Studies, the Lincoln Award for Leadership (1997) from the Independent Women's Forum, the Courage in Leadership Award (1997) from Black America's Political Action Committee, Lt (2001). Connerly has been featured on 60 Minutes, Parade magazine's cover, the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Newsweek magazine, and nearly every major news publication in America. He has also been on Crossfire, Firing Line, Hannity & Colmes, The Crier Report, Meet the Press, Rivera Live, Dateline, Politically Incorrect, NBC Nightly News, CNN, and C-SPAN, as well as The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer. Connerly is the President and CEO of Connerly & Associates, Inc., a Sacramento-based association management and property development consulting business he and his wife, Ilene, started in 1973. He is considered as one of the housing industry's leading specialists, with in-depth understanding of housing and development concerns. He was inducted into the California Building Industry Hall of Fame as a lifetime member.

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