NAACP

By James Katz

Who are they?

Sectional public pressure group Oldest and largest pressure group Began in 1909 in response to the racist

movement in Springfield, Illinois A group of people who were outraged about

violence against blacks began a group to protect them

Originally designed to protect 13th, 14th and 15th amendment – all designed to allow coloured people into the democratic process

What do they do?

Vision StatementThe vision of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure a society in which all individuals have equal rights without discrimination based on race.

ObjectivesThe following statement of objectives is found on the first page of the NAACP Constitution - the principal objectives of the Association shall be: To ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of

all citizens To achieve equality of rights and eliminate race prejudice among the

citizens of the United States To remove all barriers of racial discrimination through democratic

processes To seek enactment and enforcement of federal, state, and local laws

securing civil rights To inform the public of the adverse effects of racial discrimination and

to seek its elimination To educate persons as to their constitutional rights and to take all

lawful action to secure the exercise thereof, and to take any other lawful action in furtherance of these objectives, consistent with the NAACP's Articles of Incorporation and this Constitution.

Methods and campaigns

Originally used the courts to protect their members Used court cases to attack the Jim Crow

laws Recently used pressure to get

favourable elective results Backed Al Gore (failure?)

Pressure on policy-makers Health reforms (2010)

Failures

Went close to bankruptcy in 1990’s Chose the wrong man to lead the

group in 1993, when Reverend Jesse Jackson was not selected, but Reverend Benjamin Charvis was – he resigned 18 months later

Controversial comments about Al Gore’s choice of V.P. by President of the Dallas section of NAACP when he said choosing a Jew was a wrong decision

Successes

Although they have had positive effect in the civil rights movement of the 50’s and 60’s, the increased equality in America has seen their role become less important Brown vs Board of Education was its most famous

and important victory Now seek to ensure more general equalities

i.e. Health reform, or Obamacare, has been the #1 issue for the last 2 years

The instillation of the first coloured President may have seen them fulfil their missions statement