NAACP ready to march on Raleigh
Members of the Winston-Salem Branch of the NAACP are preparing to get on the bus to participate in the ninth annual Historic Thousands on Jones Street (HKOJ) People’s Assembly in Raleigh. And they are encouraging others to join them.
This year’s assembly has been dubbed the Moral March on Raleigh. Participants are expected to convene downtown on Saturday (Feb. 14) at 9 a.m across from the Raleigh Memorial Auditorium for a pre-rally before marching to the state Capitol at 10 a.m.
The local branch held a press conference Tuesday, Feb. 3 at Emmanuel Baptist Church to tout its support of the Assembly, an initiative of the N.C. NAACP.
“HKOJ is a people’s assembly that is addressing our needs in the community. It’s not just an African-American agenda, but it’s a human agenda. It’s about human rights and our ability to live in a community with voting rights, education, and with medical needs, poverty and hunger taken care of. There are so many laws that have prevented that across the state,” said Daphne Holmes-Johnson, a representative of the state and local branches. “To move our state forward these are issues that we need to address to continue being progressive.”
An HKOJ coalition was created to fight for equal rights across the state. The group has compiled a 14-point People’s Agenda that denounces bills that have or will be introduced in Republican-led General Assembly. These bills deal with everything from education equality, labor rights and voting rights to health care and equal protection. The agenda suggests alternate actions to fix such issues.
Holmes-Johnson said a big crowd at the rally and march will send a message to legislators.
Winston-Salem NAACP President S. Wayne Patterson agreed, saying high numbers would also bolster the N.C. NAACP legal challenge of laws legislators pushed through creating voter identification and the elimination of same-day voting. The federal suit is expected to be heard in Winston-Salem.
“We have to have a good showing from Winston-Salem. We are trying to get every one out to ride the bus,” Patterson said. “Everyone will be watching Winston-Salem because of the upcoming federal voting trial.” Rev. Dr. Marcus Barr, executive director for the local branch, said participation from young adults is essential.
Students from Wake Forest University and Winston-Salem State University are already signed up to take part.
“It’s important for the community to be enlightened about these events, and we want to strengthen and empower them,” Barr said. “We are bringing the youth and colleges on board because we want them to have a voice in what’s going on as well.
It’s important for them to be able to stand up for their voting rights.”
For more information on the march, visit www.hkonj.com. To see the HKOJ’s 14-point People’s Agenda, visit www.hkonj.com/14_point_agenda.
To ride the bus, contact Dot Hill at dot@mojoeducation.com or call 336-414-1275 to reserve
