Founded on February 12, 1909, the NAACP is the nation’s oldest, largest and most widely recognized grassroots-based civil rights organization. Its more than half-million members and supporters throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities, campaigning for equal opportunity and conducting voter mobilization.  

Founding Group

The NAACP was formed partly in response to the continuing horrific practice of lynching and the 1908 race riot in Springfield, the capital of Illinois and resting place of President Abraham Lincoln. Appalled at the violence that was committed against blacks, a group of white liberals that included Mary White Ovington and Oswald Garrison Villard, both the descendants of abolitionists, William English Walling and Dr. Henry Moscowitz issued a call for a meeting to discuss racial justice. Some 60 people, seven of whom were African American (including W. E. B. Du Bois, Ida B. Wells-Barnett and Mary Church Terrell), signed the call, which was released on the centennial of Lincoln’s birth.

Mission

The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination.

Vision Statement

The vision of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure a society in which all individuals have equal rights without discrimination based on race.

Objectives

The following statement of objectives is found on the first page of the NAACP Constitution – the principal objectives of the Association shall be:

• • To ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of all citizens

• • To achieve equality of rights and eliminate race prejudice among the citizens of the United States

• • To remove all barriers of racial discrimination through democratic processes

• • To seek enactment and enforcement of federal, state, and local laws securing civil rights

• • To inform the public of the adverse effects of racial discrimination and to seek its elimination

• • To educate persons as to their constitutional rights and to take all lawful action to secure the exercise thereof, and to take any other lawful action in furtherance of these objectives, consistent with the NAACP’s Articles of Incorporation and this Constitution.

Presidents of the Stafford NAACP Branch

2021 – Present Yolanda Roussell
2019 – 2020   Joshua Cole
2018 – 2019:   Millisa Gary (Acting)
2015 – 2018:   Trimetria Singleton
2011 – 2015:   Aston Haughton
2008 – 2010:   Michael Lovitt
2000 – 2004:   Terry Payne
1987 – 1999:   Elnora Pondexter 
1986 – 1987:    Zelda Vines  
1972 – 1985:    Lillie Mae Walker 
1956 – 1971:   Frank White, Sr.