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The 115th Annual Convention of the NAACP was held in Las Vegas, Nevada, last week, July 11–17 with the theme “All In,” which reaffirmed the NAACP’s commitment to using its collective strengths to continue the fight for civil rights and social justice. This followed last year’s convention in Boston which by all indications was one of the most successful convenings of the national association in many years. Boston hosted over 10,000 delegates, attendees and local residents in 2023 for the 114th Annual Convention.
“We are in a war for the very soul of our nation,” said NAACP Board Chairman Leon Russell, as he asked attendees whether they were all in for this fight. “Are we all in to continue the fight to protect and preserve the gains we have made as a nation? Are we all in this fight to ensure that public policy works for the advancement of each and every one of us?” he asked.
Chairman Russell urged all NAACP members to engage in an election where the choices are clear and asked that we vote to ensure that honest and inclusive American history is taught in our schools, access to the ballot is protected and Project 2025 is never realized.
Since 1909, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has been meeting annually in cities throughout the nation to address the critically important policy issues facing Black Americans and other people of color. Delegates are elected in their local units to participate in the convention, which attracts innovative change-makers, thought-leaders, entrepreneurs, scholars, entertainers, influencers and creatives to network and exchange ideas.
Zoé Howell McCroey, gold medal winner in the Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological, Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO) competition with Congressman Bobby Scott at the NAACP convention. PHOTO: MICHAEL CURRY
Throughout the week, speakers addressed issues of voting rights, access to a quality education, health equity, attacks on DEI and women’s rights, criminal justice reform and the importance of voting in the November presidential election. The week included a visit by President Joe Biden, who at that time still intended to be the Democratic nominee for president.
In making his case against Donald Trump’s returning to the White House, Biden said the Trump presidency was hell for Black America, from the effort to repeal Obamacare and kick millions of Black Americans off of their health insurance to trillion-dollar tax cuts that only benefited the super wealthy. President Trump’s mismanagement of the pandemic disproportionately devastated Black communities and the economic policies drove up Black unemployment and decimated small Black businesses.
Biden said, “And you peacefully protested George Floyd’s murder; Donald Trump called for the National Guard to go after you. What in the hell is the matter with this man? No, I’m serious.” He warned the hundreds of delegates in attendance that Trump and MAGA officials would do everything possible to undo everything the NAACP stands for and he leaned in on the recently released Project 2025, a comprehensive policy agenda proposed by a coalition of over 100 conservative organizations led by the Heritage Foundation. His remarks came on the heels of the NAACP Board of Directors passing an emergency resolution addressing the threat of these proposed policies. “They want to deny you freedom: the freedom to vote, to have your vote counted,” said the President.
He went on to say, “Of course, here’s what he thinks of ‘Black jobs’ … I love his phrase, ‘Black jobs.’ It tells a lot about the man and about his character. Folks, I know what a Black job is. It’s the vice president of the United States.” He also emphasized that President Harris is qualified to be President, foreshadowing the recent announcement that he would not continue his bid for a second term and would endorse the Kamala Harris’ candidacy.
Boston and New England were well represented at the convention, as members of the Boston NAACP and units throughout the region participated in activities, meetings and the resolutions plenary where the association’s policy priorities are debated and adopted by the delegates to the convention.
Notably, the Boston NAACP brought home a gold medal in the Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological, Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO) competition in the category of Original Essay (Zoé Howell McCroey) and a silver medal in Contemporary Dance (Aliyah German). The Brockton NAACP also brought home silver awards in the STEM category.
Micjsel Curry is on the Board of Directors for the NAACP and is president & CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers.
