In today’s Moment in Black History, we highlight the founding of the NAACP....almost 117 years ago, with the anniversary coming up on February 12!
In the summer of 1908, the Springfield Race Riot of 1908 erupted in President Abe Lincoln's hometown of Springfield, Illinois. Sparked by false accusations of serious crimes against two Black men (one for rape, later proven fabricated, and the other for murder), a white mob lynched two Black men, burned Black homes and businesses, and drove thousands from the city in terror, all fueled by deep-seated racism and racial resentment. The outrage shocked the nation and became the tipping point for activists who refused to stay silent.
On February 12, 1909 (which would have been Lincoln's 100th birthday) a diverse group gathered in New York City. Black leaders like W.E.B. Du Bois, Ida B. Wells, Mary Church Terrell, and Archibald Grimke’ joined white progressives including Mary White Ovington, Oswald Garrison Villard, William English Walling, and Henry Moskowitz. Building on Du Bois' Niagara Movement for full equality, they issued "The Call," condemning lynching, voter suppression, and segregation and founded the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
From the beginning, the NAACP fought for the rights guaranteed by the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments through legal battles, investigations, and public campaigns. Early victories struck down grandfather clauses that blocked Black voters (Guinn v. United States, 1915) and outlawed residential housing segregation (Buchanan v. Warley, 1917). Under Thurgood Marshall's leadership, it achieved the landmark Brown v. Board of Education (1954), ending legal school segregation, and played a key role in passing the Civil Rights Act (1964), Voting Rights Act (1965), and Fair Housing Act (1968)...laws that transformed equality in employment, voting, and housing.
Even in times of darkness, the NAACP has turned outrage into organized light, inspiring generations to demand justice.
Remember…Education is freedom of mind and never should be colorblind.
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