WASHINGTON-Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, offered the following statement today on the death of the Rev. Dr. James Orange. Rev. Orange was a prominent civil rights leader who fought to ensure that the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community remained on the forefront of the fight for equality.

Solmonese said:

"The GLBT community has lost a great ally and leader. From the time he was a young man, Rev. Orange demonstrated the passion and dedication to a vision of a nation free from hate. He continued that work until his death, and the GLBT community will be forever grateful for his efforts."

Rev. Orange was active in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference through the late 1970s, when he became a union organizer. Throughout his life, he served at numerous national and international labor and civil rights organizations, including the AFL-CIO and the People's Agenda for Voter Empowerment. He also supported the Bayard Rustin Breakfast, a GLBT component of the events surrounding Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

The Human Rights Campaign is America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against GLBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.