WS Chronicle

When the 74^th Annual NC NAACP Convention opens at the Raleigh Convention Center, Thursday, October 5 through Saturday, Oct. 7, it’s theme will be a familiar, yet defiant one: “Forward Together, Not One Step Back … For Justice We Never Sound Retreat!”

“We have an exciting convention for you,” said Daphne Holmes Johnson from Winston-Salem, N.C. NAACP Convention Planning Chair, during a recent press conference in Raleigh. “This is a civil rights convention for you to learn, to be entertained, to be prayed for, to continue the movement.” We will bring you many, many speakers, many plenary workshops, and you will get to have fellowship with the greater area of Raleigh, and other members that join us from across the nation.”

With Bishop Dr. William Barber stepping down as state N.C. NAACP president during the convention after 12 years at the helm, the Executive Committee voted to officially designate him as state president emeritus of the conference and a permanent member of the committee.

The N.C. NAACP Convention will kick-off on Thursday, Oct. 5 with Religious Emphasis Day, and will start the day with a remembrance of all of the now deceased NAACP members of the past year.

Rev. Julie Peeples of Congregational United Church of Christ Greensboro will be the luncheon speaker.

After lunch, a special “Forward Justice” session featuring veteran civil rights leader, the Rev. Jesse Jackson and others to talk about the next phases in the fight for voting rights, including automatic voter registration.

Also speaking on Religious Emphasis Day is Rev. Liz Theoharris, co-chair of the revived Poor People’s Campaign that Bishop Barber has committed to after he leaves as N.C. NAACP president.

During that Thursday night mass meeting, the first time in N.C. NAACP history when a Jewish rabbi, Rabbi Jonah Pesner, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, will be the keynoter, scheduled for Martin Street Baptist Church, 1001 East Martin Street in Raleigh.

Other events during the course of the N.C. NAACP’s 74^th annual Convention include workshops on voting rights, and an overview of what the Republican-led NC General Assembly has done regarding redistricting (the legislature coincidentally reconvenes in Special Session on Wednesday, Oct. 4, where it is expected, among other issues, to take up judicial redistricting).

Friday morning, Oct. 6 at 9:30 a.m., the convention will feature “The Great Debate” presented by the NCNAACP Education Committee, and moderated by Dr. Terrence Ruth, Ph.D, the new executive director of the state conference. The topic: how should charter and /or traditional schools help low-performing students?

On Saturday morning, October 7, at 10:30, the last day of the convention, Bishop Barber will deliver his final State of the State address on civil rights, as president. Barber said he will not say farewell, but “thank you,” and talk about the road ahead in the struggle for freedom, justice and equality.

Other notables invited to appear at the 74^th N.C. NAACP Convention include new interim NAACP national Pres./CEO Derrick Johnson, U.S. Sen. Corey Booker (D-NJ) and prominent black journalist Roland Martin, who will be the keynote speaker for the Saturday evening Freedom Fund Banquet.

For more information go to www.naacpnc.org.