WS Chronicle

The Rev. Dr. Marcus Barr has been named the executive director of the Winston-Salem Branch of the NAACP, S. Wayne Patterson, the president of the branch, announced last week. He will begin on Monday, Aug. 25.

According to a news release, Barr will lead the Branch’s efforts to “close racial disparities, ensure equal opportunity and improve the quality of life for Winston-Salem/Forsyth County communities.”

Barr has long been associated with the Winston-Salem Branch of the NAACP and has served as a consultant with nonprofit and for-profit businesses for more than 16 years, helping them with Articles of Incorporation, bylaws, board development, grant writing and filing for the  501 (c) (3)-status. He serves as a president/CEO of M.B. Ministries, Inc.

He earned his Doctor of Philosophy degree from Cathedral of Faith Bible Institute. He also has a paralegal certificate from the U.S. Career Institute and a certification from the Wake Forest University School of Business in Essentials of Business for Nonprofit Organizations.

“The NAACP is headed into a new direction in re-establishing our relationships in the local community, (in) the Winston-Salem Forsyth County School System (and with) other nonprofits and agencies,” Barr said.

He is vowing that he and the Branch’s Executive Committee will work hard to bring positive change to the local community.

“Individual commitment to a group effort; that is  what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work,” Barr said.