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As the nation's most prominent civil rights organization celebrates its 100th birthday with a convention in New York City, it's worth asking: Where do we go from here in the fight for equality and racial justice? It's a question Black Voices posed to Benjamin Jealous, president and CEO of the NAACP.
He responded in an exclusive interview, "Take a moment and really focus on the power of 'we,' the power of how you can go from...1909 with black men being hung on trees to 2009 with a black family in the White House, and [for people] to think about in their own lives, and for the sake of their own children, what changes they want to see 100 years from now. Because we will be a big part of turning that dream into a reality."
Among the issues the group is focusing on now: restoring the rights of people who have been convicted of felonies, anti-racial profiling legislation and reforming payday lending.
For more of Jealous' comments about the NAACP's centennial celebration and current focus, view the video below.
Black Voices will bring you updates and live streams of the NAACP Centennial Convention through Thursday, July 16.
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NAACP president Ben Jealous, calls for fair confirmation hearings at NAACP 100th Annual Convention in New York, Saturday, July 11, 2009, on Sonia Sotomayor and an end to racially charged remarks by Sen. Jeff Sessions, ranking member of Senate Judiciary Committee. (AP Photo/Yanina Manolova)
AP
New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg speaks at the NAACP's Centennial Convention, in New York, July 12, 2009. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is a civil rights organization for ethnic minorities in the United States. REUTERS/Chip East (UNITED STATES POLITICS SOCIETY)
REUTERS
U.S. Senator Charles Schumer speaks at the NAACP's Centennial Convention, in New York, July 12, 2009. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is a civil rights organization for ethnic minorities in the United States. REUTERS/Chip East (UNITED STATES POLITICS SOCIETY)
REUTERS
U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi speaks at the NAACP's Centennial Convention, in New York, July 12, 2009. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is a civil rights organization for ethnic minorities in the United States. REUTERS/Chip East (UNITED STATES POLITICS SOCIETY)
REUTERS
Comments: (12)
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By: nalguy5 on 7/14/2009 5:29PM
Hmmmmm.......the members of the NAACP are whiter than I am.
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By: eric on 7/14/2009 10:13PM
Why, are you surprised to see that? Ben Jealous, recently took over from Whom? That's right "Julian Bond", and we all know how light he is! It's, as though the NAACP and black leadership has been a "light skin" only club, with exception to a few over the years. Historically, blacks in leadership roles have been those that have been "light skin", Because, the majority of black people would rather see a light skin black person out in front as opposed to a dark skin one! We've all heard about Rosa Parks...supposedly the mother of the Civil Rights Movement, who refused to give up her bus seat to a white man. However, few people know the story of Claudette Colvin.: When she was just 15, she refused to move to the back of the bus in the very same city of and give up her seat to a white person — "nine months before" Rosa Parks did the very same thing. Colvin was the first to really challenge the law. But, Colvin says the NAACP along with the other black organizations felt Parks would be a better representative, many know the real reason for her selection...it was because Claudette Colvin was a "dark skin" African American, and Rosa parks was "light skin"! That's a fact, and little unfortunately is known about her...sadly the NAACP lead this effort.
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By: Afrobella on 7/15/2009 12:23AM
You are right on point. What does the NAACP have to show for one hundred years. Shouldn't it be NAABP. Black people. They are still calling us colored. Maybe that's what we are colored. Ruled by the masses and fronted by the COLORED>. They have that fake NAACP Image Awards show. Whom does that benefit. Chicago has had 40 public school children, and counting,shot down in the streets. The schools are floundering and the city gave an Hispanic organization $98 million dollars to open charter schools in their neighborhoods to educate all of the children born here when their mother's came across the border illegally. Stop voting for these black politicians that have done for us but smile and brag about how long they have been in Congress or alderman for 40 years of nothing. The prison system is using our sons and daughters to fill the prisons in small town white America to keep their economy afloat.
Where is the NAACP and the Urban League. We need to forcus on BLACK PEOPLE and stop trying to build coalitions with the Hispanics and illegal aliens. They can take care of themselves. We need the help.
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By: warren on 7/14/2009 6:06PM
the NAACP has lost its way, we should celebrate the NAACP,the old NAACP. these days the black organizations focus more on main stream media and the leader of these organzation just want to make a name for themselves.its not about the fight anymore but more about talking about the fight. mr. jealous making comment about sotomayor and her fight,sotomayor belongs to the la raza latino organizatio let them speak and fight for her she's not a member of the NAACP,racism will never end. the discrimination fight has lost is's sword we need a diffrent stratagy,we need to find out exactly what can help us right now as a people and use politic to gain it. we really need to stop just giving our vote to the democratic party. they have'nt really did anything pacific for us, the republican party know were not going to vote for them so they don't even try to appeal to us, so the democracts have been taking advantige of us for years, the way they look at it is who else can you go to,what the NAACP needs to do is focus on the black vote, lets find some canidates for congress and the senate back them 100% push our agenda through.
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By: eric on 7/14/2009 6:49PM
The NAACP is for the most part an organization that has not only lost it's way, still can't find its way, but continues to be a "do nothing", self glorifying, and self serving organization. Why celebrate 100 years of an organization that was established by whites, only to control the progress of blacks? The NAACP is just (sadly) another example of black people's failure to collectively engage in the American dream.
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By: DD on 7/15/2009 1:55AM
Brother Eric, you are correct that Claudette Colvin preceded Rosa Parks in "civil disobedience" and the issue of her complexion was argued by some leaders. However, the determining factor in allowing her to be at the forefront of the cause had more to do with the NAACP moral image. Colvin became pregnant by a married man and her family was poor. It would have made her an easy target for ridicule and the real issue would have been undermined. In all fairness to Rosa Parks and the NAACP, I think they chose Rosa to continue what was started because people would be more sympathetic to a middle-aged educated woman. Something to think about... If skin color was the only determining factor for appealing to the masses, Dr. King would have been rendered ineffective. Additionally, Benjamin Chavis, former Executive Director NAACP and Kwesi Mfume, former President/Ceo NAACP are brown-skinned men.
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By: Larry Fafarman on 7/15/2009 12:31PM
It seems that the main activity of the NAACP nowadays is dissing the Confederate flag.
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By: eric on 7/15/2009 12:50PM
Brother DD
I appreciate your comments, but perhaps you failed to note that in my comments I clearly mentioned wherein that there were also a "few" black leaders that were not light skin, perhaps you need to revist my comments. And, yes you are correct about Claudette Colvin having been 15, and pregnant by an older man, but what you also failed to include was that she was a "victim of rape"! Hence, I fail to see why she was simply pushed to the side by the NAACP in the manner that she was. That only confirms that "One", they (NAACP) was looking for an excuse "not" to use her because of her complexion, and "Two" that they(NAACP)were totally insensitive to her plight as a BW with dark skin, and also a rape victim. In, fact I think that people even back in the day would have provided only greater support for her, because of both her age, and knowning that she had been brutally victimized! Perhaps, you need to also read Mrs. Colvin's "complete" interview that she had with the NAACP Legal Defense Team in the aftermath before supporting the NAACP in their decison, as you appear to be to this reader. They, the NAACP Legal Defense Team interviewed Miss Colvin, and even before they had knowledge of her condition, or circumstances that lead up to that they "already" wrote her off because she was dark skin, and poor, that was the real image that they didn't want to present! And, they also felt that it would be hard for them to raise a "legal Defense fund". Dr. Martin Luther King JR. was also in attendance at that meeting! The Rosa parks episode was later completely "staged" by the NAACP nine months after Miss Colvin's was arrested for her refusal to relinquish her seat to a white person. Just, an observation, however not being critical, it makes little sense providing and sharing information, however, if it's not completely factual, then please don't go there! This isn't "Fox News"!
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By: DD on 7/18/2009 6:15PM
Brother Eric,
Fox News isn't noteworthy at all! I thoroughly read your post and it actually validates my point of contention. It wasn't about skin complexion. It was about image. Rosa Parks had the right image to front the cause, i.e. educated, middle-aged and meek vs. poor, young, unwed and pregnant. Even today many people are ignorant enough to believe a rape victim invited the act. Do you really believe in 1955 Claudette Colvin would have received sympathy from the media?
Should we even debate whether the representatives of the organization are dark or fair? If the agenda is one that ultimately every hue of “black” can benefit from, isn't it valid? I'm not southern and I'm only 40 years old but I'm grateful to all the Claudette Colvin's, Rosa Parks’ and Fannie Lou Hamer's who took a stand. I'm equally grateful to all the Adam Clayton Powell's, Asa Phillip Randolph's and Ralph Abernathy’s who took a stand. I'm not concerned with their complexions. Forefront or background their acts were toward the improvement of conditions for people of "color." If we disagree with the NAACP's agenda in the 21st century then let's get involved in our respective corners of the world to make them relevant.
P.S. My purpose for responding to your post wasn't adversarial. I just want to get past the complexion debate and do something that matters. If you have any suggestions, please pass them along and I’ll forward them to my local chapter.
Peace!
Sister DD
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By: drbill on 7/15/2009 10:41PM
all this racist retoric about black this and black that- BET, Naacp, united negro college fund is getting old. is there a such thing as a White entertainment TV or naawp or white american college fund or any of that? no. why not? this guy jealous is as white as they get almost as white as obama. what a joke.
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