On Monday, January 16, 2012, the South Carolina NAACP and members of the Statewide Leadership Committee would like you to join us in Columbia for the Annual King Day at the Dome March and Rally.  We are asking that every local celebration or effort honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. be held earlier in the weekend of January 13-15, 2012 or after 3:00 pm on January 16, 2012 to allow time for people to travel to Columbia and also have the opportunity to support any local commemorative event.

We need your active support in persuading our fellow South Carolinians to place greater emphasis on enhancing freedom, peace and justice here at home.  Our plan is to gather tens of thousands of concerned South Carolinians, including some of our neighbors from bordering states, at the State House in Columbia to support the cause of dignity for our children, seniors, families and those in need.  Together we must compel our leaders to do better, think more inclusively and act more compassionately in their attempts to govern.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was an outspoken advocate for voting rights, and social and economic justice in America.  This national day of remembrance allows us to recall the sacrifices that were required to open our society to broader participation by all citizens.  We believe it is our duty and privilege to continue the work that Dr. King and others began to ensure that the promise of America remains available to all.

Engaging in positive direct action on Monday, January 16, 2012 is the greatest tribute that we could pay to Dr. King’s legacy and the noblest service we can offer to our fellow South Carolinians.  Please meet us at Zion Baptist Church, 801 Washington Street, at 8:30 in the morning as we prepare for the march.

Volunteer Application

I wanted to make sure you received advance information on how to register for the free SAT Seminar being offered in Columbia by the NAACP.  Here is the link that will take you there:

http://www.princetonreview.com/ChooseProducts.aspx?&testtype=TAA&producttype=FRE&productdetail=SATEventsNearYou

Call Princeton Review at 800-273-8439, if you experience any challenges with registration.  Please encourage your child to share this with peers who may benefit from the experience.  Students in 9^th grade and above are the primary target audience for this service.

Information about 2011 Freedom Fund Campaign

A statewide marrch and rally calling for the removal of the Confederate Battle Flag from the State House grounds in Columbia and challenging the longstanding racial disparities in education, health care, community development, criminal justice, employment, and economic development in South Carolina. The march and rally support a continuing Worldwide call for economic sanctions targeted toward the tourism industry in South Carolina. All people of good will are asked to avoid traveling to South Carolina for meetings, conferences, vacations, family reunions, athletic events and other activities that provide financial support for tourism in South Carolina. The day begins 8:30 AM with a prayer service at historic Zion Baptist Church, 801, Washington Street. Following the service, thousands of protesters will march from the church to the State House for the rally featuring state, local and national speakers. A student empowerment summit will closeout the events in Columbia. To get involved with our Campaign for Dignity in South Carolina where you live, contact us at info@scnaacp.org or 803-754-4584

South Carolina State Conference, NAACP

6111 N. Main Street

Columbia, SC 29203

(803) 754-4584

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King Day at the Dome 2011

Schedule of Statewide Activities

Date/Time Activity

Friday, January 14, 2011

11:45 am Memorial Wreath Ceremony
Martin Luther King, Jr. Park
Stone of Hope
230 Green Street, Columbia, SC

Guest Speaker: William Nettles
United States Attorney
South Carolina

Monday, January 17, 2011

7:30 am Continental Breakfast
Washington Street at Zion Baptist Church

8:30 am Annual King Day at the Dome Prayer Service
Zion Baptist Church
801 Washington Street, Columbia, SC

Special Guests: Dr. William Barber
President
North Carolina State Conference, NAACP

First Nazareth Baptist Church Choir and
Jones Memorial AME Zion Church Choir
Combined Choirs
Columbia, SC

9:40 am Line-up for March
Washington Street at Zion Baptist Church

10:30 am King Day at the Dome
SC State House – North Steps
Main Street at Gervais

Special Guests: Wade Henderson
President & CEO
The Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights

Blair Underwood
Actor, Producer, Health Activist
Los Angeles, CA

Dr. Lonnie Randolph, Jr.
President
South Carolina State Conference, NAACP
Columbia, SC

Rev. Nelson B. Rivers, III
Senior VP of Stakeholder Relations
NAACP National Headquarters
Baltimore, MD

Benedict College Concert Choir
Award Winning Collegiate Choir
Columbia, SC

Sheem One
Contemporary Gospel Artist
Columbia, SC

Civic & Faith Leaders
Statewide Leadership Coordinating Committee
The Campaign for Dignity in South Carolina

Widest Possible Dissemination. Make copies as needed. Please fax replies to 803-754-5457.

S.C. State Conference, NAACP
Operations Desk
6111 N. Main Street
Columbia, SC 29203
(803) 754-4584

Watch her speech and see, firsthand, that this year is going to be a year of change for the NAACP and our community. Then help spread the word about Michelle’s speech by using any of the options below.

The NAACP mourns the passing of Vernon Baker, former United States military officer and recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor. Mr. Baker passed on July 13 at the age of 90 at his home in St. Maries, Idaho.

A military hero, Baker was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions on April 5-6, 1945, when he and his platoon killed 26 enemy soldiers and destroyed six machine gun nests, two observer posts and four dugouts near Viareggio, Italy. He was one of seven Medal of Honor recipients who became the first Black soldiers to receive the award on January 13, 1997, and the only veteran of the group still living.

“Vernon Baker’s actions in World War II are the embodiment of courage, valor and sacrifice” said NAACP President & CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous. “The bravery displayed by Baker exemplified the type of leadership needed for this country to emerge victorious against the Axis powers, and represented progress in African Americans’ quest for equality. His legacy provides a timeless inspiration for our country, its military and anyone who has ever had to invoke courage under fire.”

Despite a successful track record dating back to the Revolutionary War, Black soldiers were deemed unfit for combat during the Jim Crow era. By 1944 – in part due to intensifying pressure from the black community – the Army finally gave in and formed Baker’s all-black 92nd Infantry Division, which was one of the few all-black units to see combat during WWII. During his stint in the Army, Baker experienced discrimination from both White and Black soldiers – White soldiers who refused to afford him privileges that were granted to POWs, and Black soldiers who resented him for his rapid ascension through the military ranks.

Baker ignored the mistreatment he received in the Army, instead conducting his service with diligence, brilliance and pride. Yet despite being recognized by President Clinton with the Medal of Honor, Baker insisted he did nothing extraordinary.

“I’m not a hero,” Baker said. “I’m just a soldier that did a good job. I think the real heroes are the men I left behind on that hill that day.”

Services will be at 11 a.m. July 31 at The Church of the Nazarene, 175 Grandview Dr. in St. Maries, Idaho. A reception will follow at the church. Baker will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C.

Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization. Its members throughout the United States 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.

On Sunday, July 18, Jealous appeared on CBS’s Face the Nation to discuss civility in the public discourse. NAACP offices across the country have received hate mail and death threats in the wake of a resolution passed at the 101st annual convention calling on Tea Party leaders to repudiate racist elements within the movement.

Read the official NAACP statement.

Watch Benjamin Todd Jealous respond on CNN:

The NAACP in coalition with other civil rights groups filed a class action lawsuit today challenging Arizona’s new law requiring police to demand “papers” from people they stop who they suspect are not authorized to be in the U.S. If an individual is caught without papers they can be arrested and jailed. The extreme law, the coalition charged, invites the racial profiling of people of color, violates the First Amendment and interferes with federal law.

“We are joining this lawsuit because the Arizona law is out of step with American values of fairness and equality. It encourages racial profiling and is unconstitutional. African-Americans know all too well the insidious effects of racial profiling,” said Benjamin Todd Jealous, President and Chief Executive Officer of the NAACP. “The government should be preventing police from investigating and detaining people based on color and accent, not mandating it. Laws that encourage discrimination have no place in this country anywhere for anyone.” “Subjecting human beings to discrimination and punishment based upon race and accent is morally offensive, unconstitutional and un-American, said Wilbert Nelson, the president of the NAACP Arizona state conference “We will fight vigorously to make sure this poisonous law never takes effect. It is part of a menacing return to racial discrimination and the beginning of a slippery slope. Right after this hate law was passed, a statute banning the ethnic studies in our school was passed. ”

The lawsuit charges that the Arizona law unlawfully interferes with federal power and authority over immigration matters in violation of the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution; invites racial profiling against people of color by law enforcement in violation of the equal protection guarantee and prohibition on unreasonable seizures under the Fourteenth and Fourth Amendments; and infringes on the free speech rights of day laborers in violation of the First Amendment. A number of other states are considering similar laws.

Several prominent law enforcement groups, including the Arizona Association of Chiefs of Police, oppose the law because it diverts limited resources from law enforcement’s primary responsibility of providing protection and promoting public safety in the community and undermines trust and cooperation between local police and immigrant communities.

“As a former police officer, many of us in law enforcement want to ensure that the resources of the police are put into fighting serious crime and not turn them into federal immigration agents,” said Reverend Oscar Tillman, president of the Maricopa County Branch (Phoenix, Arizona). “It can jeopardize security when victims or witnesses to crime are afraid to talk to police because they might be targeted by this law.”

The coalition filing the lawsuit includes the NAACP, the American Civil Liberties Union, MALDEF, National Immigration Law Center (NILC), ACLU of Arizona, National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON) and the Asian Pacific American Legal Center (APALC) – a member of Asian American Center for Advancing Justice.

Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization. Its members throughout the United States 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.

For Sponsor/Donor Information please call Gladys Wallace at (803) 754-4584 or send an email to ffcsponsors@scnaacp.org

NAACP HOSTS FORMER UN AMBASSADOR

ANDREW YOUNG AT 2010 STATE FREEDOM FUND EVENT

Eight Selected for 2010 Presidential Citations

Columbia, SC – The South Carolina State Conference NAACP will hold its Annual Statewide Freedom Fund Celebration on Friday, May 21, 2010 at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center in Columbia, SC.  Headlining the event will be Ambassador Andrew Young.  A former, United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Young is a founding principal and Co-Chairman of GoodWorks International.  Ambassador Young has held a wide variety of leadership positions over the past several decades.  Beginning his career as an ordained minister and top aide to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the civil rights movement, he went on to be elected to three terms as a United States Congressman.

“We have the highest regard for the contributions Ambassador Young has made to the world community”, stated Marian Miller, vice president of the South Carolina State Conference.  “He offers a unique perspective on our civil rights history, corporate responsibility, and public service—a rare and valuable combination.  We believe he will provide the perfect linkage to our theme: One Nation, One Dream.”

The NAACP has also chosen eight outstanding citizens for special recognition during the Freedom Fund Celebration.  While some of the award recipients are well known throughout the state, others have made an impact on a smaller but still significant scale.  Each honoree is expected to attend the gala to accept the award.

“We started a new annual tradition of highlighting average citizens for their selfless service ten years ago”, said Lonnie Randolph, president of the South Carolina Conference NAACP.  “While the annual dinner commemorates our triumph over official racial segregation in South Carolina, these awardees represent the sustained and often subtle work performed by many hands to foster positive human relations in the state.”

Amanda Burnette, a former principal specialist in Dillon County, helped raise millions of dollars in support while leading efforts to focus national attention on the debilitated condition of JV Martin School.  She currently works at the South Carolina Department of Education as the Director of the SC Turnaround Schools Initiative and the Project Leader for the 21st Century Campus project.  Senator John W. Matthews, Jr., a member of the South Carolina Legislature since 1975, has long been an advocate for economic growth, job development and educational opportunities in rural South Carolina.  He is the leading advocate in the senate to enact a constitutional amendment to provide a high quality education for all children in South Carolina. Brad Dean, president and CEO of the Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce, has taken on the role of helping South Carolina leaders to embrace inclusion of our State’s diverse peoples in shaping a prosperous future for all South Carolinians.  Brenda C. Williams, MD is cofounder of Excelsior Medical Clinic, PA in Sumter which launched in 1982.  Through organizations like the Family Unit Organization and the Do Right Project, Williams has helped improve the lives of thousands of impoverished families and sponsored initiatives to curb recidivism through job creation and homeownership for former inmates.  Congressman John Spratt, first elected to Congress in 1982, is now Chairman of the House Budget Committee.  Regarded as a “workhorse” by many of his peers and staffers in Washington, Spratt was instrumental in passing the Balanced Budget Agreement of 1997, which put the federal budget in surplus for the first time in thirty years.  More recently, he helped shape fiscal strategy toward passage of the American Health Reform Act. Corporal Ryan Fackey made a life changing decision when he donated a kidney to save the life of Columbia teen Dani Jones.  Driven by a keen sense of patriotism, Fackey, a fourth generation Marine, volunteered for tours in Iraq where he saw countless children who had endured harder lives than his.  He referred to his gift to Dani his way of “really making a difference now”.   Ron Morris, a sports columnist with The State Newspaper, is current president of the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association and a four-time winner of the South Carolina Press Association award for best sports columns.  He has written extensively over the years about the Confederate Flag controversy.  Representative Leon Howard of Richland County has distinguished himself as a people’s champion for his outspoken advocacy on behalf of working families and the less fortunate on issues ranging from health care, civil rights, education and community development.  Howard has been Chairman of the Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee since 2007.

The Freedom Fund Celebration, which includes dinner at 6:00 PM, will take place at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center, 1101 Lincoln Street.  Ushers will begin seating at 5:30 PM.  The event is open to the public.  Additional information is available at the South Carolina NAACP, 803-754-4584.

“The NAACP sends its heartfelt congratulations to Mayor-Elect Steve Benjamin.  Winning a political office is difficult as is, let alone as a black man running for mayor in a state where the confederate flag still flies and where some elected officials still believe in the Dixiecrat agenda.  Mayor-Elect Benjamin’s campaign theme of “One Columbia—Unity, Hope and Promise” rings true in South Carolina and across the nation – they are the tenets that will allow America to remain great,” stated NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous.  “The National NAACP and the NAACP South Carolina State Conference look forward to working with Mayor Benjamin. Together we will ensure that all residents of Columbia are treated fairly and equally and that smart policies are enacted that provide the citizens of Columbia with access to a quality education and good jobs.”

Steve Benjamin will replace Columbia Mayor Bob Cole, who decided last year to step down after 20 years of service.  Benjamin, a father of two, led the South Carolina Department of Probation, Pardon and Parole for three years and is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and the University of South Carolina School of Law.  He was also a former President of the South Carolina Youth and College Division of the NAACP.

Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization. Its members throughout the United States 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.

(Washington, DC) – The NAACP today, applauded the US House of Representatives after a 219-212 vote to pass much-needed reform to the current health care system.

“The NAACP and our 2200 membership units applauds the US House of Representatives for passing much needed health care reform legislation.  NAACP members from around the country have been actively engaged in contacting members of Congress with a simple message, “Pass Health Care Now” and our Representatives have listened,” stated NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous “The U.S. House made history today, passing the most sweeping and comprehensive health care reform bill in the history of the United States. Their vote was not only a vote on health care reform it was a vote for the future of this country, the future of our economy and made the future even brighter for all citizens and families.”

“Health Care reform, simply, is a matter of life and death.  Real people are suffering and dying because of the current system, and we need reform now, and it is our hope that the U.S. Senate will pass the house’s reconciliation bill in an expedited manner so that more people can avoid prolonged sickness, injury or death from lack of insurance,” concluded Jealous.

NAACP Senior Vice President for Advocacy and Director of the NAACP Washington Bureau stated “Under the current proposal, if people like the insurance plan they have, they can keep it.  If they like their doctor, nothing in the new proposal takes that choice away.  What does change under the new plan is an increase in protections provided to Americans.  Specifically, the new proposal outlaws discrimination against Americans with pre-existing medical conditions and does not allow insurance companies to deny coverage to a person because he or she has gotten sick.  It reduces costs for people who currently have insurance and makes coverage more affordable for people without it. It also sets up a new competitive insurance market where small business owners and families are allowed to shop for the insurance plan that works best for them.”

This proposal will insure over 31 million American and will make coverage more affordable by providing a middle class tax cut for health care, thereby reducing premium costs for tens of millions of families and small business owners who cannot afford coverage while reducing the federal deficit.

“Every 12 minutes someone in this country dies from a lack of health insurance. With this historic vote today, we will put an end to unnecessary deaths and focus on keeping our citizens healthy,” stated NAACP Chairman Roslyn M. Brock.  “It is our hope that the U.S. Senate will move as swiftly and pass the reconciliation bill, so President Obama can sign this law and ease the burden on American families who are crumbling under the rule of insurance companies and their exorbitant prices and deceitful tactics,” concluded Brock.

Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization. Its members throughout the United States 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.

NEW YORK, NY – The NAACP named Roslyn Brock as Chairman of the Board of Directors at its Annual Board Meeting on February 20 at the New York Hilton.

Brock, 44, became the youngest woman to serve as Chair of the NAACP’s Board of Directors. A highly qualified candidate, her NAACP resumé boasts more than 25 years of service to the NAACP in many capacities, including as a youth board member, Youth and College State Conference President, board member, and Vice Chair to the Board of Directors. Brock also created the annual NAACP Leadership 500 Summit, and has served as Chair of the Board Convention Planning Committee.

“As the NAACP ushers in a new generation, it is a great honor to be elected Chairman of the Board of this esteemed Association,” said NAACP Chairman Roslyn M. Brock. “We are blessed with the opportunity to lead the fight for civil and human rights into another century, and I am honored to help the NAACP issue the clarion call while ensuring the future legacy of this great organization.”

“We’re looking at a generational shift in our communities,” continued Brock. “We have a 48 year old President in the White House, an NAACP President who was 35 at the time of his election, and a 44 year old Board Chair. The wisdom of those who stood the test of time got us to this point, and the youth will lead the future success of our movement.”

She officially announced her candidacy last August after her predecessor Julian Bond declared his retirement from the Chairman position. Bond endorsed Brock’s candidacy, citing her experience in many facets of the Association as well as her youth as assets she will bring to the Chair position.

“The time has come for me to step down as Chairman of the Board and I cannot think of a better person to pass the torch to than Roslyn M. Brock.  Ms. Brock understands first-hand how important youth are to the success of the NAACP. She was introduced to the NAACP 25 years ago when she served the NAACP as a youth board member and Youth and College Division State Conference President.  She represents the next generation of civil rights leaders,” said NAACP Chairman Emeritus Julian Bond.

“I am proud to be standing with Roslyn M. Brock as the new Chairman of the NAACP Board, and I thank Julian Bond for his twelve years of service,” stated NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous.   “Today we have elected the youngest Chairman in the history of the NAACP.  This historic election, at the beginning of our second century marks a generational shift in the civil and human rights movement. Ms. Brock is fierce advocate for social justice, who is squarely focused on addressing the crises of today and winning the victories of tomorrow.”

In addition to her service with the NAACP, Brock serves as Vice President at Bon Secours Health Care in Marriottsville, MD. She is the chief spokesperson for Bon Secours on government relations, advocacy and public policy. Prior to working at Bon Secours, Brock worked 10 years in health programs at the W. K. Kellogg Foundation in Battle Creek, Michigan.

She graduated magna cum laude from Virginia Union University; earned a master’s degree in health services administration from George Washington University, an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a Master of Divinity degree from the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Theology at Virginia Union University.

“I have enjoyed my time as Chairman of the Board and the people with whom I have worked with over the past decade.  I will continue to treasure this as a singular experience and continue to be active in the NAACP as a member of the National Board of Directors,” concluded Bond.

“There will never be another Julian Bond, and there will never be another Myrlie Evers-Williams. Those of that stature in the civil rights movement have made untold contributions, sacrificed and invested in us, and it is up to us to take it the rest of the way,” concluded Brock. “We need to lead and leave it better than we found it…that’s the huge challenge.”

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Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization. Its members throughout the United States 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.

Stand with Representatives Cleaver, Lewis and Frank. Sign the petition below and let it be known these outrageous personal attacks have no place in our nation’s political discourse.