National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
Introduction
NAACP is a public interest group in the United States which majors in the protection of civil rights in accordance to the needs of the community. NAACP is the oldest and most prominent Interest group majoring in matters pertaining civil rights in U.S. It is important to note that NAACP’s initiation preceded formulation of legal strategies for the sake of modifying concerns raised by the public due to the complexity of civil rights. The group’s consistency and its importance to the society at large is signified by the fact that it includes a huge number of members and also supporters across U.S. In general, the main interest of NAACP is to enforce reforms oriented at modifying civil rights, mobilizing voting rights and establishing equity in response to public interests
History
NAACP was initiated in 1909 by a unionization of both black and black intellectuals. The main reason behind their cooperation included intellectuals’ need to resist persistence of lynching practices that was since characterized horrific effects in the American community. NAACP foundation was as well focused to spell out the need of embracing a community that characterizes affluent aspects of racial equality in response to the race riot that took place in Springfield in 1908. NAACP’s commitment was to put into effect impartiality of rights to every individual to the constitution of the United States. Expansion of the group’s mission to other regions is critiqued in 1916 under the ruling of a field secretary regarded as James Johnson. Johnson became the leader of NAACP in 1920 after which he was replaced by Walter White who managed NAACP from 1930. Through their leadership, NAACP became a major group in the United States as far as matters of Civil Rights are concerned. Its continued efforts to itemize equality attracted much attention and in turn NAACP started to expand its activities not only in America but also internationally in 1940s. NAACP’s operational programs evidenced in the modern community are connected to Hook’s ruling from 1977 which implemented affluent programs in order to enhance equity (NAACP, 2017).
Mission
The primary mission of NAACP is to ascertain equal rights to every individual and at the same time abolishment of racial discrimination in the American society. NAACP’s mission underlines the need diminish discrimination in various backgrounds including political, economic, educational and social settings in order to enhance equality in the community. Importantly, the association focuses to develop a community that deters any forms of discrimination particularly discrimination of racism (NAACP, 2017).
NAACP highlights a definite set of objectives which in due course exemplify its mission to abolish inequality. NAACP emphasizes that every citizen should be provided with equal privileges in various areas such as in political, economic and educational fields. It critiques application of democratic processes including courts in order to hinder instincts of racial discrimination. The group is meant to as well influence enforcement of laws such as federal laws in order to secure the appropriateness of Civil Rights. Additionally, NAACP documents its responsibility to make the awareness of effects caused by racial discrimination so as to enhance termination and in unison familiarize the public with comprehensive rights in accordance to the constitution.
NAACP’s Operations
Past operations
NAACP is founded as the facilitator of education transformation in 1954 since it purposely challenged state sponsored separation in public schools. The association was not reluctant to influence the Supreme Court in 1954 to disapprove “Brown V. Board of Education” which denied equality in education systems. The association induced protests against lynching laws which in the historical views encompassed activities of immorality as a result of favoritism. NAACP is critiqued to have influenced much activity in the American legislation such as influencing “Civil Rights Act of 1957, 1964 and the Voting Act in 1965” (Congressional Record, 2010).
Current Operations
In accordance to NAACP’s mission, it is true that the group majors to induce notions of equal rights for all and extensively defy racial discrimination. It is also certain that the group’s operations in the contemporary community concur with its original commitment of 1909 to shrink discrimination in order to deter favoritism. NAACP therefore conducts pervasive operations which are in particular directed in the community’s all-inclusive areas that characterize elements of inequality.
NAACP holds strategic operations to boost economic sustainability in all regions of the United States supposedly as included in ACT-SO a program which was initiated by Hooks (NAACP, 2017). The group’s intentions at the economic level are to address operational reforms that avails every individual equitable prospect to lead his or her dream in America in response to potentiality. This enumerates NAACP’s mission to cause equality of constitutional rights and desire to get rid of racial discrimination in the economic sector. Arguably, an economic sector of such nature provides equal opportunities which in turn back economic success, financial security and sustainability thus minimizing ranges of social disparities.
Education is a comprehensive responsibility in NAACP’s commitments in the contemporary American community. Over a long period supposedly since its launch, the group has been evidencing interests to reform education systems. The union insists on provision of free and high quality education for everyone in public schools. Additionally, the group has with consistency fought for democracy in matters concerning health services. For instance, it has been negotiating the need to compromise health processes with the government for the sake of discouraging inequalities in various health systems across America.
Public safety has prevailed as a major concern in the United States as a result of discrimination and inequality Nevertheless, the Criminal Justice is prone to notions of illegitimacy which in most occurrences emerge as a result racial discrimination and violation of human rights. NAACP therefore engages in the enforcement of federal, state and also military laws in order to diminish racial discrimination and social inequality within the two delicate departments in the United States.
Voting rights encompass severe threats with lack of equitable management which in due course lead to unfair political representation. NAACP plays a very important role of protecting and also enhancing voting rights in order to facilitate fair representations. It therefore majors the protection of democracy in order to enhance equity, democratic engagement and increase civic engagement.
Balancing of demographic aspects in the comprehensive community enhances equity and also discourages any forms of discrimination. Therefore, NAACP sources support from both governmental and non governmental agencies aimed to facilitate recruitments, training and engagement of both adults and youths so as to equip them with equitable skills of participating in various projects of community development.
Leadership
The group operates under the Board of Director’s Leadership with a networked form of leadership. The group’s leadership is organized in a form that is able to administrate regional and also state activities. Regional and State leaders works under the directories of the Board of Directors’ in order to enhance operational unity. It is the mandate of the Board of Directors’ to provide effective programs in order to ensure that leaders at local, state and national levels acquire relevant education regarding participatory plans with efficacy (Gladwell,2010).
Methods of Gaining Influence
Notably, the group is known to publicize inappropriateness of discrimination and its emphasis to abolish civil laws that raise notions of immorality in the community. For that reason, the group initiates definite programs that specifically encompass speechmaking, publicizing and other methods viable to importune the crucial issue to the public. The group as well encounters the issue by the use of magazines such as the “Crisis” that was used by Du Bois to spread information regarding racism and equality (In Heath, 2010). Additionally, NAACP uses courts as an effective channel of resisting segregation of civil rights and racial inequality in various societal affairs. For example, NAACP follows court processes up to date to enforce enhancement of laws in order to housing discrimination across America (Vogue, 2015).
Contributions
From its beginnings, NAACP depends on public including its member contributions to success its tasks (Bynum, 2013). . This includes individuals and agencies who in one way another aim to defend civil rights in the community. The group therefore asks the community to make charitable donations in order to enhance its core mission.
Public Opinion
According to (NAACP 2017), NAACP has over since evidenced purpose accomplishment in various states across United States. The group’s major commitment includes the need to ensure sameness of rights and abolishment of racial discrimination in United States. NAACP has been playing essential roles in various activities in order to curb immoralities. The group has fought for reforms to pull out notions of inequality and racial discrimination from different aspects of the U.S community. For instance, it has enhanced economic sustainability, education, health, public safety, voting rights for all individuals that apparently match with its initial mission to establish equality and diminish racial discrimination in public sectors.
NAACP receives positive opinions from the public since it has caused reputable changes in the community which has highly enhanced people’s welfare. This can be proved by the fact that NAACP has sufficiently familiarized people with constitutional rights particularly civil rights hence people have opportunities to engage in activities that suits their desires with equality regardless of racial differences. On the other hand, the group receives much support from the public through contributions which declares its important contribution to the American people. Additionally, leadership of the group has over long stuck to its core mission which declares its positivity to the public. For instance, its leadership includes people of different races and provides equity in all leadership levels.
The group has an effective management that enables it to accomplish its mission to the community. Importantly, all units starting from national levels to regional levels operate under the guidelines from Board of Directors’ which is led by an elected chairman. This eliminates contradictory in the formulation and enactment of plans in all units across United States. The group’s leadership is flexible enough in response to its ability to include staffs at regional levels in all states which increases operational efficiency. For instance, each unit in various states is attached to specific operations which facilitate staff communication between members and leading staff. Socialization of staffs with staffs enables the group to act in accordance to people’s needs since it enables acquirement of immediate member feedback. For this reason, NAACP is verified to beneficial to the general public rather than to a definite group of people.
Conclusion
The main objective of an interest group is to influence changes including public policies in order to modify people’s welfare in the community. Therefore, NAACP is an essential organization in the United States in reference to its purpose of establishing parity of rights whereas abolishing racial discrimination. For instance, under its support for the people, instances of racial discrimination have tarnished in various institutions such as schools and in economic fields. Additionally, its support has influenced significant reforms of civil rights such as voting rights and renewal of justice which has in turn terminated perspectives of favoritism.
References
Bynum, T. L. (2013). NAACP youth and the fight for black freedom, 1936-1965.
Congressional Record (2010). Proceedings and debates of the 111th congress: Second Session. Government Printing Office
Gladwell, M. (2010). Small change. The New Yorker, 4(2010), 42-49.
http://www.naacp.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/2014_Bylaws_for_Units.pdf
In Heath, R. L. (2010). The SAGE handbook of public relations.
NAACP. (2017). Oldest and boldest. extracted from http://www.naacp.org/oldest-and-boldest/Vogue, A. d. (2015). Court upholds key tool to combat housing discrimination. CNN Sans extracted from http://edition.cnn.com/2015/06/23/politics/fair-housing-act-texas- supreme-court/
