Julian Bond re-elected as NAACP board chairman

New Crisis, The, Mar/Apr 2001

Julian Bond, after being re-elected to his fourth term as chairman of the NAACP Board of Directors, told a cheering audience that the NAACP had reclaimed its position as America's premier civil rights organization. He said the organization is poised to strengthen its role as the nation's leading social justice advocate for minorities in the nation.

Under his leadership the board has developed a first-time-ever strategic plan for the NAACP to sharpen its social justice advocacy. "Protecting public education, preserving affirmative action, ending racial profiling, passing effective hate-crime legislation, winning a moratorium on the death penalty, expanding affordable health care to all, and restoring the safety net for the vulnerable will continue to be a major focus of the NAACP," said Bond.

The NAACP is unique in its mission of social justice and is set apart from organizations providing social service. Bond said: "Social service, which helps to remedy the harmful effect of racial discrimination, is always worthwhile; but social justice aims to eliminate racial discrimination itself. Social services address symptoms; social justice aims its weapon at the disease. We have done much, but there is much to be done."

Bond, a professor at American University and the University of Virginia, was first elected NAACP chairman in February 1998. The 64 members of the board, who make policy for the NAACP, serve without compensation, paying their own expenses to attend quarterly board meetings.

During his third term as chairman, Bond was responsible for attracting the largest donations ever to the NAACP. Under Bond's chairmanship, the NAACP has reinvigorated its branches, spurred its growth in youth units, expanded its staff, fortified involvement with its traditional partners through broad-based coalitions, and posted the third of five consecutive treasury surpluses.

"In a December 2000 poll, the NAACP enjoyed an 80 percent favorable rating. Those who think they can detour around traditional civil rights organization, and the pretenders and contenders who are rushing to curry favor-they've got another thing coming," Bond stated.