NAACP Gears Up for 97th Annual National Convention

Crisis, The, Jul/Aug 2006 by Gamber, Frankie

AS the NAACP opens its 97th national convention in Washington, D.C., on July 15, the spotlight will shine on the lifeblood of American democracy: voting rights.

This year's convention theme, "Voting Our Values, Valuing Our Vote," responds not only to the fact that 2006 is an election year; it is also mindful of recent political developments striking at the heart of the NAACP's mission, from outreach in Africa to the renewal of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

"I think we're coming at a most opportune time to be in the District," says Lorraine C. Miller, president of the Washington, D.C., branch. "This is a really good opportunity for us to make some statements to the American people about what we're about and the importance of voting."

Roslyn Brock, vice-chair of the NAACP National Board of Directors and chair of the National Board Convention Planning Committee, agrees, saying the issue of voting rights for District residents will be discussed.

"This whole [idea that] voting rights is a Black issue [it's misleading]," says Brock. "It's a White issue, it's a red issue, it's a yellow issue - it's central to the democratic process."

A full slate of convention activities will give those values ample expression for delegates and lawmakers alike. A number of legislators will make appearances at the convention, including Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif) and Rep. Jesse L. Jackson Jr. (D-IIl.), who will be the featured speaker at the Roy Wilkins Youth Leadership Luncheon.

"It's always an honor and an obligation to speak to the oldest and largest civil rights organization in America," Jackson said in a statement. "The NAACP's history is rich and its future is bright. If I can contribute one insight or present one idea that stimulates a mind or sparks a person to take action to make America a more just society, then my time will have been well spent."

If lawmakers can't make it to the convention, the NAACP Washington Bureau will bring the convention to them in its Lobby to the Hill event on July 19. After a briefing by Washington Bureau Director Hilary Shelton, delegates will board buses bound for the Capitol beginning at 12:30 p.m. There, they will meet with their senators and representatives to discuss key civil rights issues, including the reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act, re-enfranchisement of former felons and prevention of election fraud. A booth will be provided at the convention registration to allow delegates to set up appointments in advance.

The convention also highlights the priorities of the NAACP Health Division: HIV/AIDS prevention, obesity, mental health, respiratory diseases and equal access to health care. These concerns will be the subject of the Saturday morning Health Symposium, as well as the Health Fair, which runs from Saturday through Tuesday.

At the Health Fair, visitors can take advantage of free cholesterol, blood glucose, blood pressure, body fat and eye screenings as well as HIV testing. Cosponsored by Pfizer, the fair will also feature displays by the National Institutes of Health, Alcoholics Anonymous, the United Network for Organ Sharing, the FDA Office for Women's Health and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, among others.

Now only three years from its centennial, the NAACP is more attentive than ever to celebrating its long history. A mainstay of the national convention, the Program Information Exchange exhibits NAACP departments and commemorates the organization's past.

In this year's Medgar Evers Memorial Garden, C. Delores Tucker, Rosa Parks and Coretta Scott King receive special commemoration. The National Great Blacks in Wax Museum will unveil new figures of former NAACP officials Gloster Current and Earl Shinhoster. In addition, a new home constructed by Habitat for Humanity will be donated to a family affected by Hurricane Katrina.

This year also marks the 70th anniversary of the NAACP Youth and College Division. With the theme "Seventy Years of Youth Activism: Embracing the Past, Challenging the Future," the divison will present its new civil rights agenda. The celebration continues in the evening when the Youth Freedom Fund Banquet features a special tribute to the division's founder, Juanita Jackson Mitchell.

"Young people have played a major role in accomplishing the mission of the NAACP," says Youth and College Division National Director Stefanie L. Brown. "Youth activism is as necessary in 2006 as it was in 1936."

In addition, the final plenary session on July 20 gives a nod to the organization's tradition of global consciousness by focusing on international affairs and American responses to crises in Africa.

Washington, D.C., itself provides unique opportunities for sharing Black history. The African American Civil War Memorial Freedom Foundation and Museum is sponsoring free cultural bus tours of the city from July 16 to July 19. The tours will run for about three hours and follow a civil rights tour route devised by the museum. Sites include the White House, Lincoln Memorial, Howard University Hospital and the Carter G. Woodson home. Participants will also be able to shop and eat on U Street, which Frank Smith, founding director of the African American Civil War Foundation, describes as "the heart of the Black community. This is where Black people migrated to after they left rural communities."