History of the NAACP
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was established in 1909 and is America’s oldest and largest civil rights organization. It was formed in New York City by white and black activists, partially in response to the ongoing violence against African Americans around the country. In the NAACP’s early decades, its anti-lynching campaign was central to its agenda. During the civil rights era in the 1950s and 1960s, the group won major legal victories, and today the NAACP has more than 2,200 branches and some half a million members worldwide.
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
~Martin Luther King, Jr.
Our Mission
The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is to secure the political, educational, social and economic equality of rights in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons.
NAACP Fauquier County Branch
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
President - Conway Porter
1st Vice President - Robin U. Fields
Branch Secretary - Marsha Melkonian
Assistant Secretary (Communications) - Kathy Marmet
Treasurer - Chuck Wilkers
Assistant Treasurer - Art Poland
Member-at-Large (Executive Committee) - Vacant
Member-at-Large (Executive Committee) - Harold Leon Williams, Jr.
NAACP Fauquier County Branch
STANDING COMMITTEES
The strength and effectiveness of an NAACP unit can be determined by how well its standing committees function. Those individuals who serve on standing committees accomplish the work of the Association.
Communications, Press & Publicity
Committee Lead, Michelle Shanks
The Communications Committee creates and issues press releases, maintains the website and social media accounts, and ensures that news/events are publicized to the maximum extent possible.
Community & Economic Development
Committee Lead, Darine Barbour
The Community & Economic Development Committee creates and
implements local efforts and supports national programs to preserve and expand economic empowerment among African Americans and other communities of color.
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Criminal Justice
Committee Lead, Whitney Thornton
The Criminal Justice Committee leads local efforts and supports national programs to address systemic inequities related to law enforcement and the criminal justice system.
Education/Scholarships
Committee Lead, Matt Carlos
The function of the Education/Scholarships Committee is to oversee awarding of Fauquier NAACP scholarships at local high schools and to keep informed of school conditions and strive to correct abuses where found.
Freedom Fund
Committee Lead, Michelle Shanks
The Freedom Fund Committee plans and conducts fund-raising activities, including the annual Freedom Fund event.
Finance
Committee Lead, Chuck Wilkers
The function of the Finance Committee is to study the financial needs of the Unit and be responsible for drafting an adequate annual budget.
Health
Committee Lead, Darlene Kelley
The function of the Health Committee is to work to promote, protect, and maintain the health of African Americans and other communities of color and to sponsor health-related activities such as health forums, fairs, and workshops highlighting issues of importance to people of color.
Housing
Committee Lead, Miggy Strano
The function of the Housing Committee is to study housing conditions in the community, receive and seek to address complaints of discrimination, oppose all restrictive practices whether public or private, and disseminate information and render such other assistance which may eliminate discrimination in housing.
Legal Redress
Committee Lead, Conway Porter
The function of the Legal Redress Committee is to investigate all cases reported to it that have been identified as discriminatory, to supervise litigation in which the branch is interested, and to keep the conference
informed on the progress of every case. (The Legal Redress Committee shall not give legal advice.)
Political Action
Committee Lead, Renard Carlos
The Political Action Committee works to increase voter registration and voting and to improve the administration of justice and equal enforcement of the law. (The Committee is nonpartisan and shall not endorse candidates for public office.)
Membership
Committee Lead, Robin U. Fields
The Membership Committee works to maintain and increase the
membership of the Branch and to solicit new members and secure renewals.
