Understanding the Brady Campaign

The Brady Campaign is a coalition of many groups involved in the gun reform movement. It traces its roots back to the 1974 founding of the National Council to Control Handguns by Dr. Mark Borinsky. It also draws upon the experiences of the Center to Prevent Handgun Violence. These two groups merged into Handgun Control, Inc.

Handgun Control Incorporated was renamed the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence in recognition of the effort of two individuals closely connected to the gun reform movement, Jim and Sarah Brady. The Brady Campaign is currently incorporated as a 501(c)(4) organization.

As a 501(c)(4) organization the Brady Campaign is part of a group of organizations which devote themselves exclusively to the promotion of social welfare, who devote their net earnings to charitable, educational, or recreational activities. These organizations are allowed to lobby for legislation and participate in political campaigns and elections so long as these are not the primary activity in which the organization engages.

The Brady Commission is devoted to educating the public to the dangers of guns, as well as promoting any gun reform movement which would reduce the prolific existence of guns in American culture. The primary support of the Brady Commission is as a result of the 1981 assassination attempt against President Ronald Reagan. Their participation in the gun reform movement was crucial to the passage of both the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, or Brady Bill, and the Federal Assault Weapons Ban the following year.

The Brady Campaign is a coalition of many groups involved in the gun reform movement. Constituent organizations include the Million Mom March. It is also supported by the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence. The Brady Center and Brady Campaign have often shared board members. The best example of this is that Sarah Brady served as chair woman of both the Brady Center and Brady Campaign beginning in 1991. Her dual service as chair woman for both organizations continued through 2000.

The Brady Campaign is active in every state, and operates on local, state and federal levels to encourage other groups that are a part of the gun reform movement. It provides support in terms of both infrastructure and also supports organizations involved in the gun reform movement with varying levels of financial support as the particular organization may require.

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