Cookeville-Putnam County NAACP branch

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People describes its mission as
: "to ensure the political, educational, social and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination. The group’s vision is to ensure a society in which all individuals have equal rights without discrimination based on race."
On January 24, 2015, after "nearly three years" of work by local activists, the NAACP chartered a branch in Cookeville, the only such group in the Upper Cumberland, intending to serve an area encompassing Putnam, White, Overton, and Clay counties. The branch was publicly announced at an event at Burton's Chapel United Methodist Church in Algood.
President Tom Savage said:
: "We want to strive to reach out to all of the minority groups in the area, especially the Hispanic groups, and just like-minded people. You don’t have to be black. You look at the demographics in this area, you will see the African American representation is pretty low. This group will be a diversified NAACP chapter, and there are a few like that in the state.”
It was hoped that the branch would be able to open its own office within six months of organization.Militana, Laura. "Cookeville-Putnam chapter of NAACP chartered." Herald-citizen.com. 26 January 2015. Web. Accessed 26 January 2015.
==Officers==
The initial group of branch officers were as follows:
*President: Tom Savage
*Vice President: Judy Mainord
*Secretary: Jerry Myers
*Treasurer: David Mainord
*Executive Committee members: Deatrice Anderson, Linda Bennett, Scott Bilbrey, Ruby Hawkins, Fay Mullins, Shun Mullins, Ivy Myers, Brenda Savage, and Angie Smith Militana, Laura. "Cookeville-Putnam chapter of NAACP chartered." Herald-citizen.com. 26 January 2015. Web. Accessed 26 January 2015.
==References==
Category:Putnam County organizations