The Miami times. [volume] (Miami, Fla.) 1923-current, 1957-12-28
Along Freedoms Road

We viii continue this week
with further discussion on the
topic, What is the NAACP?
NATIONAL OFFICIALLY
National officials Of the assoc
iation are of various races and
faiths. Arthur B. Sptngarn, presi-
ident since 1899, Is q white at
torney of New York City who
was preceded In his Office by two
other white men; his brother. J.
Z. Spingarn, and Moordeld
Storey, the first president. Allan
Knight Chalmers, a member Of
the faculty Of the Boston Univer-
sity School of Theology, serves as
treasurer: and Theodore Spauld-
ing, a Negro judge of Philadel-
phia, as assistant treasurer. The
chairman OF the board Of direc-
tors is Claiming III. Tobias, vet
eran educator, church leader, Of
ten called one OF the "elder
statesmen of the Negro race.
Robert c. Weaver, a graduate Of
Harvard University, now New
York State Rent Administrator,
the first Negro to be appointed TO-
a cabinet post in the state gov
eminent, is vice chairman.
Among the associations 81 vice
presidents those VINO perhaps are
best known in their respective
fields are Norman Cousins, Oscar
Hammersteirl, Rev. John Haynes
Holmes, Wayne Morse, Bishop w.
j. Walls, Rabbi Judah Calm, Rev.
William Lloyd lines, Eric john
Ston, and A. Phillip Randolph.
ASSOCIATION POLICY
A widely circulated statement
about the NAsACP, which has
been promoted actively by anti
Negro elements Of the South, Is
that its policy Is charted by
handful of northerners, mostly
New Workers, who have taken it
upon themselves to dictate to the
rest of the nation concerning
rights for Negroes. Actually, as
sociation policy Is formulated by
the, body's annual convention, a
representative group OF some one
thousand NAlACP members from
all sections Of the United States
and Alaska. The policy set by the
convention is carried out by the
board OF directors Of 48 members
which also selects the executive
secretary, who, In turn, appoints
the staff.
The present board Of directors
of whom about IS percent are
Negroes, has more than 80 per
cent Southerners In its ranks, In
Guiding persons from Louisiana
Georgia, South Carolina, North
Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and
Virginia. Among current board
members are the Rt. Rev. Stephen
Gill Spottswood, Walter Reuther,
Ralph J. Bunche, Mrs. Eleanor
Roosevelt, Rev. Benjamin Z
Mays, Herbert H. Lehman, Judge
William H. HASTE, Mrs. Jessie M.
vann. The interests OF board
members, in addition to those OF
the several named shove, include
civic leader, business executive,
physician, attorney and home
maker.
The associations staff, headed
by Roy Wilkins, executive secre-
tary, includes the noted civil
rights attorney, Thurgood Mar.
shall, and such other department
heads as Clarence Mitchell, direc-
tor Of the Washington Bureau:
Gloster B. Current, director OF
branches; Herbert Hill, labor Sec
rotary; Madison S. Jones, special
assistant for housing; John Nor
sell, assistant to the executive
secretary: James Ivy. editor OF
the \ Crisis, the associations
monthly organ, and Henry Lee
Moon. director OF public relations
NOTES ON HISTORY !.
The formation OF the associa-
ton, perhaps ironically, was inn
mediately influenced by an Incl
dent in the North. In the words Of
Mary White Ovington, q white
social worker who was q founder
OF the NAACp: