Naacp of North Carolina

In Newspaper Column, Ben Jealous and William Barber Say Health Care Reform Is Right for NC

National NAACP President Ben Jealous and NC NAACP President William Barber collaborated on an op-ed that has been published in the Fayetteville Observer-Times.  They point out that the past decade, 880,000 African Americans died because they lacked health insurance.

National NAACP Takes on Case of Two Black Children Shot in Caswell County, NC.

The National NAACP has asked the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate a shooting of two black children in Caswell County, NC by a 52-year-old white man, charging that the shooting was probably racially motivated. NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Jealous declared in a statement that "it is appalling that these small children may have suffered serious physical and psychological harm because of the violent inhumanity of this kind of racial intolerance.”

Agreeing with the NAACP request, the Justice Department is now investigating the case. The NAACP believes the man who shot the children on Labor Day weekend, John Fuqua, should be charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill. The president of the North Carolina NAACP, Rev. William Barber, says local law enforcement had led a flawed investigation from the beginning. Fuqua's bond was originally set at $5,000, which he made immediately and was released. The Caswell County Chapter of the NAACP has been especially vigilant about this case, holding numerous community meetings and press conferences. The community remains upset. One child was hit in the face and the other was hit in the arm. Neighbors said they heard Fuqua yell racial slurs before the incident happened.

Wake County May Face Lawsuit from NAACP Over Re-segregation

If re-segregation of schools begins to occur in Wake County after busing for racial, ethnic and economic balance ends, the NAACP and other groups may go to court to maintain the importance of diversity in schools.

That was the message NC NAACP President William Barber and more than 100 neighborhood activists gave to the newly elected Wake County school board members who will take office in December. Elected on a "neighborhood schools" platform, the new board members have vowed to end "forced busing." But Rev. Barber told the activists that putting students in high-poverty, segregated schools is "nothing more than a form of institutional child abuse." Read the story in The News and Observer. Read the full text of Rev. Barber's statement on his blog.

'Our Work is Not Yet Done'

In a state-of-the-state address to the 66th NC NAACP convention at the Hickory Metro Convention Center, President William Barber declared: "Our work is not done. We will celebrate, but we will not stagnate." He listed a long string of racially motivated threats, intimidation and violence that occurred across North Carolina in the last year.  "I could call every county in the state — I won't, but I could," he said. "There is still work to be done.

"Some want our 100th anniversary to be a going-out-of-business event, and the truth is — we would if we could," Barber said. "In order for us to stop now, we'd have to be blind, deaf and in need of de-fibrillation." See coverage in the Hickory Record.

Earlier in the conference, Governor Beverly Perdue exhorted the delegates to prepare children for the future. "In our new world, it is unacceptable that three of 10 freshmen don't graduate" from high school she said Friday. Full coverage. 

The conference also addressed the achievement gap between black and white students.Statewide, blacks scored 53.2 percent on end-of-course exams for the 2008-09 school year. That same year, white students scored 81 percent. More. 

For full convention coverage, see the Wilmington Journal article.

Racial Justice Act Becomes Law

Statement by Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II, at the Signing of the Racial Justice Act by Governor Perdue


We, the NAACP, stand here today to commend the sponsors of the Racial Justice Act (State) Rep. Larry Womble, (State) Rep. Earlene Parmon and (State) Senator Floyd McKissick and their stalwart commitment to the Racial Justice Act even when sometimes they were told to pull the bill or weaken it. We stand shoulder-to-shoulder to commend every advocate group and religious body who worked for years to see this law passed. We stand as the oldest largest civil rights organization in the state and country to commend Governor Perdue today for signing this act into law.

Today on August 11th, Alex Haley, the author of Roots was born. One of his famous quotes was “either we deal with reality or reality will deal with us.” This Racial Justice Act is not about trying to let criminals go as some have absurdly suggested. It does not open up old wounds for victims because both proponents and opponents support the Racial Justice Act as well as families who have been victims of horrendous murders. Anyone who uses this language to speak against the bill is wrongfully maligning a good piece of legislation which looks squarely at the reality and the empirical data which shows how race impacts the application of the death penalty.

Rev. Barber Speaks Out on Health Care Reform

At a "Health Care Can't Wait" rally in Raleigh on Aug. 29, NC NAACP President William Barber spoke out on the need for health care reform.

FBI and SBI Should Investigate Alleged Firebombing in Scotland Neck

The North Carolina NAACP calls for a thorough FBI and SBI investigation of the alleged fire bombing in Scotland Neck, North Carolina. On the morning of Friday, April 10, 2009, according to witnesses, two white men allegedly fire bombed a duplex apartment on Greenwood Street in Scotland Neck. This fire burnt the duplex to the ground and caused fire damage to two adjacent homes. The bombing also displaced four families from their residence, including one African American woman 80 years old who has lived there for more than fifty years. As of the current date, no suspects have been arrested. All persons affected by the alleged fire bombing are African Americans.

Black DA Needed for Wilson, Rocky Mount, Edgecombe County

NAACP presidents from Wilson, Rocky Mount and Edgecombe County, along with several area elected officials, are calling on Gov. Bev Perdue to appoint an African-American to the post of district attorney for the Seventh Judicial District. See News and Observer story quoting Rev. Barber and Spring Hope Enterprise story quoting Andre Knight..

Workers at Smithfield Packing's Wilson Plant Need Union, NC NAACP Declares

Leaders from the North Carolina NAACP, including State President William Barber and Wilson Branch President Alonzo Braggs joined with workers and representatives from the United Food and Commercial Workers Union on April 20 to support workers in their bid for a union at Smithfield Packing Company's Wilson, NC bacon facility. The union recently won an election at the company's largest hog slaughterhouse 90 miles away. The NAACP has a historic relationship with the UFCW and with the labor movement, working together for economic empowerment of working people.

Gov. Perdue Hosts NAACP and Civil Rights Roundtable

Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II, State President of the NAACP, members of the State NAACP Executive Committee along with heads of progressive civil rights organizations throughout the state were hosted by Gov. Perdue in a first-of-its-kind policy discussion around issues affecting African-Americans and other minorities. The purpose of this 90-minute meeting was to articulate the NAACP'S 14-Point Agenda on education, economics, health, labor, criminal justice, housing, etc., which is supported by 85 statewide organizations and to make specific recommendations on the administration of the Stimulus Plan to ensure that it meets Title VI requirements for contracts in the use of federal funds in an effort to make all North Carolina more prosperous. The 14-point agenda can be found on the Internet at www.hkonj.com.

Duplin Citizens Oppose Bill to Dilute Strength of African America Vote

A busload of citizens from Duplin County, members of the Duplin County NAACP, and NAACP State Leadership, protested Senate Bill 550 which tries to add an additional member to Duplin County’s Board of Education and Board of Commissioners. The Duplin County Board of Elections and its Board of Commissioners both oppose this bill.

Stimulus Funds Must Assure Equitable Opportunities for Blacks, Other Minorities

The National NAACP Board of Directors, which includes three members from North Carolina, has directed all State Conference Presidents to monitor their State’s Stimulus Funds personnel and procedures to assure that African Americans and other minorities receive equitable opportunities and awards in the spending of Federal funds. The N.C.NAACP met with Dempsey Benton, the N.C. Stimulus Fund Director on April 8.

According to Rev. William Barber, NC NAACP President, “We must ensure that the stimulus is not stifled by barriers of race or lukewarm outreach to historically under-utilized businesses.”

The N.C. NAACP has asked N.C. Senators Burr and Hagan for a Title VI Office for North Carolina, to ensure equity in the handling of the stimulus funds. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits race discrimination in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance. President John F. Kennedy, who proposed Title VI just before he was assassinated, explained its purpose: "Simple justice requires that public funds, to which all taxpayers of all races contribute, not be spent in any fashion which encourages, entrenches, subsidizes or results in racial discrimination."

NC NAACP letter to the two U.S. Senators from NC follows.

NC NAACP Endorses Campaign for Change Anti-Gang Efforts Targeting At-Risk Youth

A Campaign 4 Change? Vegas Don Story | Movies & TV | SPIKE.com

The North Carolina NAACP endorses the work of Otis Lyon and his organization Campaign4Change and its latest production, “C4C N DA HOOD.”

This production brings the message of choosing alternatives to violence, drugs and the lure of the street and extends the reach of the NAACP into the minds of our young people. Most inner city youth are smart and talented, but are vulnerable to the fast and flashy and often fatal street culture.

Statewide Energy Efficiency Program Supported by NAACP

Legislation has been introduced in the General Assembly to create the NC SAVES ENERGY program, that backers say will lower energy bills, protect customers'  by eliminating the need for new power plant construction and the resulting costs, create thousands of green jobs, and help protect North Carolina's environment by reducing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions -- all without impacting the strained state budget. With the grassroots backing of the NC NAACP and over 30 consumer, faith, social justice, senior citizen and environmental nonprofits, legislative sponsors from across the state introduced, House Bill 1050 in the state House of Representatives.  Lead sponsor for the bill is Rep. Dan Blue of Raleigh. Other prime sponsors include Rep. Joe Tolson of Pinetops, Rep. Rick Glazier of Fayetteville, and Rep. Pricey Harrison of Greensboro.