NAACP in the News
The 2018 Doña Ana County NAACP celebration of Juneteenth was a commemoration to be remembered. Derrick Johnson, the national president of NAACP attended the annual Juneteenth banquet to recognize the importance of the holiday traditionally celebrated on June 19. Juneteenth, also known as Independence Day or Freedom Day, celebrates the time frame when people west of the Mississippi found out about the liberation of African-American slaves after the Civil
War.
National NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson was the special guest and keynote speaker at the Doña Ana County NAACP Chapter No. 1602’s Juneteenth “Celebration of Freedom” banquet June 16 at Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces. President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863, but word was withheld from slaves until a Union officer disclosed the news on June 19, 1865. Since then, annual commemorations of the emancipation have been referred to as Juneteenth.
BlackPress USA: NAACP on the Civil Rights Front Lines: Trump’s War against Civil Rights
It cannot be ignored that Trump’s White House is engaged in none other than a war against civil rights. Though this is a battle we had hoped to have ended by now, it is not a fight we are afraid of nor is it one we will lose. We have waged war against the foes of civil rights for over 109 years. We fought hard against the nomination of Senator Jeff Sessions to the office of Attorney General and we will continue to fight against Trump’s nearly all-white and mostly male federal judge nominees. Mr. Sessions’ redirection of the Department of Justice (DOJ) away from its civil rights commitment under the Obama Administration to an agency that condones police brutality and other racially based injustices is hardly surprising. We knew he would push the DOJ to withdraw its support for our legal cases against voter suppression and he did. The simple point is that these moves against civil rights cannot be divorced from his boss—President Trump.
USA Today: Civil rights groups urge NFL to reverse rule requiring players to stand for national anthem
In addition to the Lawyers’ Committee, other groups calling for a reversal, include the NAACP, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, the American Civil Liberties Union (the ACLU), the National Immigration Law Center, the National Action Network, the Advancement Project and the Arab American Institute.
Huffington Post: Teacher And Civil Rights Groups File Complaint Over Family Separation
Education and civil rights groups have decried the policy as inhumane. In filing a formal complaint with the U.N. Human Rights Council, the nation’s two teachers unions, as well as civil rights groups like the NAACP and the Hispanic Federation, are claiming that the policy violates international treaties such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. Notably, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley announced Tuesday that the U.S. was leaving the Human Rights Council, saying that the body has failed to hold abusers of human rights accountable.
The Philadelphia Tribune: NAACP on the Civil Rights Front Lines: Trump’s War against Civil Rights
Recently, the NAACP, alongside members of the Congressional Black Caucus, gathered on the steps of Capitol Hill to demand a halt of the Trump administration’s continued attempts to force Thomas Farr—a known racist with ties to the late segregationist Senator Jesse Helms—into the federal judgeship of North Carolina.
Strong turnout at the polls for the November midterm elections is a top goal for July’s NAACP Annual Convention in San Antonio. The civil right’s group’s Aba Blankson says the four-day conference scheduled for July 14-18 at the Henry B.Gonzalez Convention Center will boast an inclusive slate of activities aimed at educating and empowering the widest possible range of voters. Blankson says the convention schedule includes “workshops on LGBTQ issues, very dynamic youth panels, we will have a hip-hop summit focused on social justice and criminal justice reforms.”
Find the email and post addresses for your reps through govtrack.us. Write a quick note, or copy and paste the form letter the NAACP has prepared.
“Under a new policy designed and enforced by the current administration and being led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security, immigrant families trying to enter the United States either illegally or through legal means, which includes presenting themselves at a designated U.S. Port of Entry and stating that they are seeking asylum, are separated, with the parents going to jail and the children being sent to foster care or more often government detention facilities,” said Hilary Shelton of the NAACP Washington Bureau. “This is occurring with alarming frequency.”
Recently, the NAACP, alongside members of the Congressional Black Caucus, gathered on the steps of Capitol Hill to demand a halt of the Trump administration’s continued attempts to force Thomas Farr—a known racist with ties to the late segregationist Senator Jesse Helms—into the federal judgeship of North Carolina.
How do you combat the growing tide of gentrification in Philadelphia to ensure longtime Black and brown residents remain in their homes? Minister Rodney Muhammad, president of the local NAACP chapter, says it starts with education and financial literacy — but doesn’t stop there. “This is an emergency,” Muhammad said about the effect gentrification is having on African-American homeowners in the city.
Michigan is attempting to change their K-12 schools’ social studies standards to downplay the role of the NAACP as well as eliminate any mentions of Roe v. Wade, LGBT rights and climate change, The Bridge reports. The new standard for Michigan public schools could also remove the word “democratic” and “democracy” from the classroom.
Oliver Hill, President of San Antonio’s NAACP branch, said Juneteenth is a day of reflection and rejoicing.
“To let people know that we are still here, we celebrate our freedom,” Hill said. “We also celebrate the contributions that African Americans have made since that time.” Hill says the branch also celebrates in January. Right now, the organization and hundreds of volunteers are preparing for the NAACP’s 109th annual convention to be held in San Antonio.
The Times News: State NAACP leader: NC has more than its share of injustice
“The past few weeks have been very very eventful,” T. Anthony Spearman said Saturday, June 23. “One thing I can tell you for sure, injustice is at work from sun to sun. The works of justice will never be done. Workers of justice must remain woke and unafraid, for injustice anywhere is still a threat to justice everywhere. And we have more than our share of injustice in North Carolina.”
Daily Comet : Hip Hop icon offers encouragement at NAACP banquet
Media and hip-hop mogul Master P told 30 local students at the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center Friday night that success doesn’t come without hard work.
“Never say you can’t do anything,” he said. “You’ve got to do whatever you’ve got to do to get that foot in the door. Successful people don’t make excuses. Unsuccessful people make excuses.”
VIDEO – This is the time for candidates to introduce themselves and campaign to members of their community.
Thursday, the Jackson-Madison County branch of the NAACP hosted a candidate forum to allow them to do just that.
Voters heard from candidates for the positions of City Court Clerk, County Mayor, and County Commissioners.
Members of the North Carolina NAACP gathered at the legislature Tuesday to raise concerns about bills that they say suppress voter rights. The effort comes on Juneteenth, the oldest known U.S. celebration marking the end of slavery. NAACP officials threatened a court fight if Republican legislative leaders enact changes to early voting or put a proposed constitutional amendment on the November ballot requiring voters to present photo identification at the polls.
The Crisis Magazine: Dignity and Respect
In 1968, Bill Lucy was the associate director of legislation and community affairs for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) working in Detroit when he was assigned to go to Memphis where 1,300 Black sanitation workers were striking after the tragic deaths of two co-workers.
Lucy, who helped found the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists and was president of Public Services International, retired as secretary-treasurer of AFSCME in 2010 after more than 40 years of service. At 84, he’s still working on behalf of workers’ rights. Lucy takes us inside the Memphis sanitation workers’ strike, which lasted 64 days, and explains why their cause is still important today.
Statements
In case you missed it, the NAACP hosted a press call yesterday previewing the 109th Annual Convention in San Antonio, Texas from July 14-18. NAACP leadership discussed the convention theme Defeat Hate – Vote, NAACP’s legislative agenda for 2018, social justice, civic engagement, the current political climate, and arts/entertainment. Don’t miss this year’s Convention. Register to join us in San Antonio next month: http://www.naacpconvention.org/.
“Ripping children from their parents is an immoral and horrific human rights violation. There is simply no law requiring the separation of families and the detention of young children. Reviving an old ploy, Bible verses are once again being incorrectly used to defend government oppression as was done to justify the atrocities of slavery. Have we not learned anything from history? This must end now,” said Derrick Johnson, President and CEO, NAACP.
A broad coalition of leaders of national civil rights organizations released a letter to the National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell objecting to the NFL’s new rule censoring players’ peaceful protests during the national anthem of police violence against unarmed African Americans and other people of color. When players take a knee during the national anthem, they seek to raise awareness of police brutality and violence routinely perpetrated upon unarmed and nonviolent people of color. 63% of unarmed people killed by the police are people of color; police are twice as likely to kill unarmed African Americans as white Americans. Racially-biased policing undermines our criminal justice system.
