NAACP

=**NAACP: National Asscoiation for the Advancement of Coloured People.**= //Orrigin: February 12, 1909 The nation's oldest, largest and most widely recognised grassroots- based civil rights organisation//

The National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP) is an organisation designated to promote the well-being and betterment of African Americans. The early years of the NAACP were very succesful through the illegalisation of lynching and some integration into commonly white workplaces eg. the army. With a sustained build up of protests and endorsement of Coloured rights between 1909 and 1945, the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950's and 1960's was well supported. The initiation of the Civil Rights Movement was instigated by organisations similar to the NAACP with emphasis put on establishing equality between Americans of different race. The NAACP sought to accomplish this through the desegregation of schools, public transport and emancipation through full enfranchisement.

In accordance to the peaceful nature of the Civil Rights Movement, the NAACP strived to use legal proceedings to end inequality for African-Americans. However, this was particularly difficult for their members in the South due to lynchings and the intimidation for the White community. Nonetheless, the key to the NAACP's success was doctrines of peaceful protest; In particular the //Brown vs. Board of Education// was a turning point for Black Rights as it desegregated the unequal education system put into place by Southern State Governments. The States of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missourri, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Kentucky all prohibited black and white children from going to the same school and this lead to a vicious fight from the NAACP. NAACP found it easy to prove that children at white-only schools in the south had nearly $38 spent on each one of them per year. For children at black-only schools, the figure was just over $13. The Supreme Court deemed that this was not "equal" and declared schools that were segregated were unconstitutional.' (Tunica County NAACP, 2008) This obvious and substantial differentiation between black and white public education expenditure was the basis for the first case to set precedence for desegregation. This first instance of desegregation would lead to more implementation of racial equality in other modes of society.

On the other hand, not all of the demonstrators were peaceful, despite the intentions of the SCLC. In some cases, bystanders attacked the police, who responded with force. Areas of the ensuing mayhem caused an international outcry, leading to federal intervention by the Kennedy administration. Martin Luther King jr. and the SCLC were criticized for putting children in a dangerous enviroment. The end of the campaign surged the reputation of King, Connor lost his job, the "Jim Crow" signs in Birmingham came down, and public places became more open to blacks. The Birmingham campaign was a model of direct action protest, as it effectively shut down the city. By attracting media attention to the adverse treatment of black Americans, it brought national force to bear on the issue of segregation. Although desegregation occurred slowly in Birmingham, the campaign was a major factor in the national push towards the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibited racial discrimination in hiring practices and public services in the United States.

Another instance in which the NAACP fought for equality was in the desegragation of public transport. The issue was that blacks were to sit at the back of the bus, with whites at the front. When the bus was crowded, the rule was that blacks sitting nearest to the front had to give up their seats to any whites that were standing. This was unconstitutional and fought against unfailiningly by the NAACP. The famous activist Rosa Parks was strongly backed by the NAACP who also disagreed with the racial hierarchy implemented on buses and trains. Pressure from the NAACP as well as legal representation led to 'the loss of revenue, and a decision by the Supreme Court forced the Montgomery Bus Company to accept integration.' (Spartacus Educational, 2004) In 1952 segregation on inter-state railways was finally declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. This was followed in 1954 by a similar judgment concerning inter-state buses. However, states in the Deep South accepted desegregation but had no intention of making the process easier for African-Americans. The north accepted the Supreme Court's decision immediately, however, although segregation was now illegal federally, the south made no effort to assist integration.

As the representative of an overwhelming population of African-Americans, the NAACP believed it was time for a full vote. There dedication to this cause was evident in the Freedom Summer campaign. "The NAACP organised its Freedom Summer campaign. Its main objective was to try an end the political disenfranchisement of African Americans in the Deep South."(NAACP, 2001) With NAACP leaders meeting President Kennedy himself and others waiting out side of the White House, and although there was no legislation or bill passed at the time, the political pressure from the NAACP may have been the first step in black emancipation. The peaceful manner in which the Freedom Summer campaign proceeded once again complimented the NAACP's lawful and peaceful actions and continued to promote the humanitarian and non-violent ideals of the civil rights movement.



The NAACP's influence during the civil rights movement in a range of ways has earned them a reputation for strong humanitarian values and ethics. With a strong involment in getting a vote, as well as desegregationof schools and public transport, they were a crucial organisation for promotion of African-American well-being. Although they were involved in a broad specturm of demonstrations, there efforts each were just as influential in acheiving recognisation and desegregation in America. Although NAACP has not been publicly active within the past 10 years they are still working on closing the gap between black and white Americans.

An example of more recent acomplishments is the 2001 Cincinnati Riots. The Cincinnati Riots was a four day protest lead by NAACP is relation to the 19 year old African American male, Timothy Thomas. Timothy Thomas was shot dead by an on duty police officer.


 * __Bibliography :)__**

1. NAACP, Accessed 3rd of June 2010, WWW Page,[]

2. M. Ovington, Extract From: Black and White Sat Down Together: The Reminiscenes of a NAACP Founder, Accesed 4th of June 2010, Online Biography, []

3. NAACP, Accessed 3rd of June 2010, WWW Page, []

4. M. Anderson, A. Low, I. Keene, Retrospective: Year 11 Modern History, Volume 1 pg 128, Published 2008, Milton Qld.

5. NAACP, Accessed 9th of June 2010, WWW Page, []

6. NAACP, Amazines, Accessed 9th Jube 2010. WWW page, []