CRS Remembered

The Unofficial Facebook Page of the U.S. Community Relations Service

The Community Relations Service (CRS) is a small, little-known agency of the U.S. Department of Justice that was established by President Lyndon Johnson to mediate, conciliate and otherwise help resolve community-wide disputes and difficulties that centered on issues of race, color and national origin under Title 10 of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. It is the only Federal agency dedicated to assist State and local units of government, private and public organizations, and community groups with preventing and resolving racial and ethnic tensions, incidents, and civil disorders, and in restoring racial stability and harmony.

Notwithstanding that its dedicated staff have no law enforcement powers these men and women can rightly be called peacemakers and when all is said and done their mission is nothing less than to “Ensure Domestic Tranquility” as the Preamble of US Constitution so eloquently declares. Since the founding of CRS in 1964 CRS members have been at the scene of some of this nation’s most difficult racially charged conflicts but as they are mandated by law to work quietly and without publicity their work is largely unheralded.