About CCPJ

The Charlottesville Center for Peace and Justice (CCPJ) is a 501c3 nonprofit organization educating, communicating, and advocating for peace and justice in Charlottesville, Virginia, since 1983.

For over forty years, CCPJ has created a tradition of nonviolent advocacy for peace and justice. We work to end violence in all its forms, including racism, sexism, economic impoverishment, environmental destruction, mass incarceration, gun violence, and war.

CCPJ was founded in 1983 when community members came together to counter the Cold War arms race and  threat of nuclear war. Since then, our mission for peace and nonviolence has expanded to embrace many connected social and political issues.

CCPJ recognizes the links between war and injustice. CCPJ has hosted countless educational and artistic events, marched in innumerable parades, and hosted many inspiring speakers. We have successfully urged passage of many resolutions through the city council, including those leading to bans on drones, divestment of public dollars from weapons and fossil fuels, and the demilitarization of the local police, as well as several advocating for positive change from the state or federal government. We’ve supported living wages, gun restrictions, and the end of the death penalty in Virginia, as well as the removal of offensive war monuments, and the blocking of a pipeline. We’ve held rallies, concerts, and film screenings. We’ve installed the “Walk in My Shoes” exhibition on the Downtown Mall. We’ve opposed a white supremacist rally in our city.

Annually we march in the Dogwood Parade in April, host a community gathering in July, commemorate Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August, celebrate the International Day of Peace in September, and discourage the purchase of war toys in December.

We work with many partners and coalitions and are an affiliate of World BEYOND War.