Deane Bonner
“We as a branch have grown, not only in participation, it is certainly a lot more diverse,” Bonner said.
Although the Cobb NAACP doesn’t reveal membership numbers, Bonner estimated the chapter is about 40 percent larger than it was in 1995. She said it’s also more diverse, with 10 percent to 15 percent more non-black members.
“In ’95, we would not have had more than 10 people who were not African American,” she said.
The 70th state convention will run from Oct. 11 to 14 at the Atlanta Marriott Northwest at Galleria Hotel, 200 Interstate North Parkway.
The event is being called “Your Power, Your Decision — VOTE.” It will include a luncheon and leadership council meeting with Edward O. DuBose, a national NAACP board member, along with meetings for the NAACP’s state youth and college divisions. The conference will also feature workshops on topics such as political action, education, health, housing, veterans’ affairs and legal redress.
While the events at the Marriott require registration, Bonner said anyone in the community can attend a free Oct. 11 kickoff event at Turner Chapel AME Church, 492 North Marietta Parkway, which will include remarks from Dr. Nelson Rivers, pastor of Clarity Missionary Baptist Church in North Charleston, S.C., a longtime NAACP leader. The event begins at 6:30 p.m.
Bonner said organizers are expecting between 500 and 700 people from the state’s 102 NAACP branches to attend the conference.
“We’re hoping for more,” she said. “We want to break the record.”
Bonner said Cobb beat out Athens and Macon for the right to host the conference. It is expected to draw political, business and religious leaders from across the state.
“It was a thrill that we won, and we’re happy to have it,” she said.
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Founding group
The NAACP was formed partly in response to the continuing horrific practice of lynching and the 1908 race riot in Springfield, the capital of Illinois and resting place of President Abraham Lincoln. Appalled at the violence that was committed against blacks, a group of white liberals that included Mary White Ovington and Oswald Garrison Villard, both the descendants of abolitionists, William English Walling and Dr. Henry Moscowitz issued a call for a meeting to discuss racial justice. Some 60 people, seven of whom were African American (including W. E. B. Du Bois, Ida B. Wells-Barnett and Mary Church Terrell), signed the call, which was released on the centennial of Lincoln's birth.
Other early members included Joel and Arthur Spingarn, Josephine Ruffin, Mary Talbert, Inez Milholland, Jane Addams, Florence Kelley, Sophonisba Breckinridge, John Haynes Holmes, Mary McLeod Bethune, George Henry White, Charles Edward Russell, John Dewey, William Dean Howells, Lillian Wald, Charles Darrow, Lincoln Steffens, Ray Stannard Baker, Fanny Garrison Villard, and Walter Sachs.
Echoing the focus of Du Bois' Niagara Movement began in 1905, the NAACP's stated goal was to secure for all people the rights guaranteed in the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the United States Constitution, which promised an end to slavery, the equal protection of the law, and universal adult male suffrage, respectively.
The NAACP's principal objective is to ensure the political, educational, social and economic equality of minority group citizens of United States and eliminate race prejudice. The NAACP seeks to remove all barriers of racial discrimination through the democratic processes
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But I will tell you that the efforts of the NAACP to fight racism was the basis for the fight in other ism's and biases... Ageism, Sexism, Disabilities, etc...
If you join the NAACP then I will join the NRA...see how this works... so sad... so sad...
However, I do hope that while they are talking to members about politics, they point out that there is more than one option in any election. President Obama has done precious little to help the black community, and it seems to me NAACP members should really consider the alternatives that might help pull down the black community's sky-rocketing unemployment rates that have hurt them more than anyone else in the last four years.
Funny thing is you only hear about the south owning slaves but you never hear about the fact that the blacks were sold as slaves by other BLACK people. so maybe people ought to remember that part too? the slave owners were not the only bad people in this whole ordeal so were the sellers. But i imagine someone will come up with an excuse for the sellers.
This, however, has nothing to do with the fact that the NAACP is set to meet in Cobb. The fact of the matter is black people have every right to have organizations promoting their interests. "Common Sense's" original comment, which "tired of it" agreed with, does little to hide their annoyance that the NAACP is holding a meeting in the first place, let alone in Cobb County.
If you have a problem with that, I would suggest not attending.
I get your point, however lest we forget what happend. I am positive that if the tables were turned there would no doubt be a NAAWP as you put it.
The other day there was a feature on ESPN about the new head football coach for Alcorn State. You know, Alcorn State...a Historically Black College. Good for them, but this new guy is white. He loves his school, loves his players and loves the fact he was given a chance to be their head football coach. They had a panel of 3 guys to discuss this 'controversial hire'. Two of the guys gave a hearty, 'Thumbs up' endorsement and thought it was a good and positive thing. The 3rd guy wasn't as agreeable and his actual quote started out: 'Well, but back in 1864 when slaves...' I just changed the channel.