NAACP holds 95th convention in Philadelphia; vows to continue fight for equality and register more voters

Jet, August 9, 2004

At its 95th annual convention, the NAACP declared that the "race is on" for civil rights as well as the upcoming presidential election.

"The race is on to see that every eligible voter is registered and voting this November," NAACP President Kweisi Mfume said during his keynote address at the annual convention in Philadelphia.

"There is no greater imperative than the need to protect the right of all Americans to be able to cast a free and unfettered vote and to have that vote counted," he stated.

The NAACP announced that it will work with hip-hop mogul P. Diddy in his "Citizen Change," a drive aimed at registering and getting young and minority voters to the polls for the November 2 presidential election.

Mfume told Combs: "What you're doing is so strong and so wonderful. It will reach folks in a different kind of way. The NAACP will be with you."

Combs told Mfume in a private meeting: "We're going to rock this thing in a positive way. This hip-hop thing is a powerful thing. We guarantee we're going to deliver." Combs said the hip-hop generation could be the deciding factor in the presidential race between Republican President Bush and Democratic Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts. There are an estimated 42 million eligible American voters between ages 18 and 30.

NAACP Board Chairman Julian Bond told conventioneers: "We are here to announce: The race is on! The gloves are off! We are in a fight for our lives, and we are here to commit to winning it! It is fitting that we commit ourselves to this fight for democracy in the city where our democracy was born."

Bond continued, "The NAACP is today one of the largest self-help groups in the country. It is no accident that, for 95 years, we've led the way in taking personal responsibility for making right America's wrongs."

This year's convention made headlines when President Bush decided against attending. Bush spoke at the 2000 NAACP convention in Baltimore when he was a presidential candidate but has declined invitations to speak in each year of his presidency, making him the first president since Herbert Hoover in the 1930s to skip the NAACP convention.

Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry did address the convention and described himself as a leader of "all of the people."

"I will be a president who shares the values of people of all colors who get up and go to work every day, try to raise their families in dignity and want to leave this world a better place for their children," Kerry said.

Bush did not attend the convention because of the NAACP's sharp criticism of his policies. White House spokesman Dan Bartlett said, "The current leadership of the NAACP has clearly crossed the line in partisanship and civility, making it impossible to have a constructive dialogue."

The NAACP also issued its annual reports of five major industries: hotel, telecommunications, financial services, automotive and general merchandising. The five industries earned average and below average scores.

Mfume said, "The report cards are a mechanism for the NAACP and our coalition of 71 national organizations to measure the efforts, or the lack thereof, for major corporations in the areas of hiring, promotion, procurement, philanthropy and marketing. Corporations that do not provide meaningful opportunities in the areas mentioned do not warrant or deserve consumer support."

The hotel, telecommunications, financial services and the auto industries each received an overall grade of C. The general merchandising industry received a grade of D.

Other convention highlights included the presentation of a Lifetime Achievement Award to veteran comedian and civil rights activist Dick Gregory. Legendary comedian Bill Cosby performed his unique brand of humor in standing-room- only show. "American Idol's" Ruben Studdard delivered a soul-stirring concert featuring his big hit Sorry, 2004.

Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization. Its half-million adult and youth members throughout the country and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities, conducting voter mobilization and monitoring equal opportunity in the public and private sectors.