Arkansas State press., 1949-02-11
40 YEARS OF PROGRESS Story Of Naacp

~ ICAn9 VI rnVUnES0-SIVIyV VI NooIP
One hundred and forty years ago Saturday February 49,
child who become the sixteenth President OF the United
States born in substandard dwelling in the Kentucky
bacwoods Today he remembered the Great Emancipation
and people everywhere who have known oppression his
memory and find his sacrifice hope for real and lasting
freedom What better time then than the birthday Of Abraham
Lincoln for pausng to consider the progress made in building
society of freedom and equality for all men?
On another Lncoln's birthday forty group of
Negro and white Americans who did just thaopped
slider the this country had made in fulfilling the obi
cations imposed it by the Emancipation Proclamation
We're appalled, and alarmed at the injustice and inequality to
which Negroes subjected Realizing
were OF little avail this handful of outraged citizens banded to-
getr ana issued call for national conference for the dis
cussion of present evils the voicng of protests and the
newal of the struggle for civil and political liberty"
Thus, on the hundreh birthday Abraham
gan the National Association for the Advancement Coored
People
Dream Realized
for large and powerful body of citizens" fight for equal
rights has become reality in far greater than
of them could have envisioned On its foeh anniversary the
NAACP is nationwide mass organization with membership
of half million Americans of creed and color
entng one of the most potent forces of generation
port of civil rights It's foryyear record of champonng the
Negroes cause has contributed significantly the progress of
the race during the first half of this century.
Through 1000 branches in As states the District of Co
Territory of Hawaii the NAACP carries the
day struggles of the 100000 Negroes for equal
share the rights privileges responsibilities
citizenship 1t maintains national headquarters in the Wke
Memorial Building in New York City, regional offices in San
Francisco and Dallas bureau Washington employing
total of 80 workers all Offices Its official The Crisis
monthly magazine 1t also publishes the NAACP Bulletin and
variety of occasional pamphlets and other literature
The growth and expansion of the Association is the result
OF the sustained heroic efforts not alone of the founders and
leaders of the organization but also rank
of all races coors and creeds in the big cities and small towns
OF all sections of the country From the beginning the Assoca
ton attracted to its support eminent Americans of both
officers and members.
Seven Founders Survive
The Lincoln dav call initiated by Mary White Ovingon
by Oswald Lloyd Garrison signed by 81 other edu
Gators pbcsts social workers and religious leaders Of the SO
in
and Mr. Willard, Prof John Dewey Dr. W. E. B. Dubois DR..
Hamilton Holt the Rev. John Haynes Holmes and Rabbi Stephen
S. Wise.
Serving the the years members of the
Board of Directors staff leaders of local branches
outstanding Americans both Negro and white
The always included membership the
most impressive in American life Among these have been
Mooreld Storey the first president of the Association his
successors, the Spngan brothers, Joel E. and Arthur b.
ator Arthur Capper Jane Addams Charles Edward RUSSELL
Mary Talbert Bishop John Hurst Lillian D. Valid Claiming
H. Toba Eleanor Roosevelt Philip Randolph Godfrey Lowell
Cabot Philip Murray Rev. A. Clayton Powell ST. Ohio
Senator Harry Davis Dr. Louis Wright Judge Charles
Toney Judge Ira W. Jayne Prof Ralph Harlow
Their, Judge Jane Bon and Bishop John A. Gregg
Among nationally known who have worked the
NAACP staff are DR. Dubois the first editor of The Crisis and
later director of special research James Weldon Johnson the
erude diplomat and songwriter William Pckens the ia
orator. Charles Houston the brilliant lawyer who served
the Associations first full time special COUNSEL and Mrs
Daisy Lampkn for 10 effective organizer for the AS
ISOLATION The staff headed by Walter White
been the executive secretary since 1881 VI
The Anti-Lyrching Drive
Striking contrast Negro Americans today
compared with conditions forty illustrate graphical
y the effectiveness of the Associations vigilance and its mill
campaign for equality Due in part at least, to the
NAACPs sustained drive for federal antynchng legislation
the number deaths mob violence has been rastca
ly reduced 100 that time last year. Directly
traceab the of the Association is the vastly expanded
southern Negro which in 1909 had all but disappeared
the ubPotomac from Virginia to Texas The Negroes
right vote reestabhed by series of court actions in
stued by the NAACP invalidang the devious devices
poyed by the southern dsfranchse coored citizens
The campaign against ynching and the hardfough battle
for the of the achievements of the
NAACP Working always within the constitutional framework
the Association has conducted its battle
ganst discrimination and segregation through legal action egs
tve pressure and educational campaign has for
creasng numbers of Negroes thu