WS Chronicle

The votes are in and members of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County NAACP have decided who they want to lead the organization in 2025. On Saturday eligible members had the opportunity to vote on who will serve as president, vice president, and secretary. 

After current president Al Jabbar announced earlier this year that he wouldn’t seek reelection, it left the seat up for grabs. And last month Rev. Tembila Covington and Anthony Hairston announced that they would be running for the seat. 

In the end it was Hairston who came away with the victory.

When asked why he decided to run, Hairston said at first it wasn’t something he really thought about doing because he witnessed firsthand how much time and effort it takes to lead a branch by watching his father, Stephen Hairston, Sr. But after giving it much thought and prayer, Hairston said he decided it was something he had to do, in order to give the branch a fresh new perspective. 

“Many members of the community would tell me that they didn’t know the NAACP was still around or ask what they were doing. So that’s when I decided we must do a better job of spreading our message,” Hairston said. “I’m a servant leader, which means I know it’s not about me but it’s about the organization.  This organization is powerful because of its members.”

Hairston said he’s a firm believer that you can’t lead effectively without listening and understanding others’ concerns. He said he will value engaging with those who have different viewpoints to help make balanced decisions. 

One of Hairston’s main priorities will be reinstating the branch committees to help strengthen community outreach and help grow membership. “I firmly believe that people will support an organization when they see that it is dedicated to its mission and follows through on its commitments,” Hairston continued. 

“We already know many of the challenges our community faces, and it’s time we took more responsibility in creating and implementing programs to address them. The focus is on long-term solutions, not just reacting to problems when they arise.” 

Others elected to office include: Willette Carter, first vice president; Richard Campbell, second vice president; and Eunice Campbell, secretary. Dr. Keith Vereen was also elected to the executive committee. More members of the executive committee will be announced at a later date. 

The Winston-Salem NAACP traditionally holds elections for the executive committee in November. Only current members in good standing are allowed to vote. 

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is a civil rights organization formed in 1909 by W. E. B. Du Bois, Mary White Ovington and Moorfield Storey as a bi-racial organization to advance justice for African Americans.

Contact the local NAACP chapter at https://naacp-ws.org/contact-us/.