About Us
About the NAACP Auburn Cayuga Branch
THE NAACP
The NAACP is the oldest civil rights organization in the nation. We are dedicated to eradicating racism and provide opportunities for people of color.
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (The NAACP) is the oldest civil rights organization in the nation. The NAACP is the organization you will call on at the onset of racial incidents towards you, your family or someone else, or costs you a job. The NAACP is the organization you will call on when your children experience racial, educational discrimination or neglect by the school system, or when you are being discriminated against trying to find fair housing.
Why? The NAACP has a history that every African-American and person of color should know. Founded in 1909, the organization took on lynchings and injustice with unity and loyalty from people of good conscience of all colors.
THE NAACP NOW
TODAY, the organization has “morphed” into a litigious icon thanks to the work of legal geniuses Thurgood Marshall, Constance Motley, William Kunstler, all contributing major legal triumphs for civil rights. Now there are new lawyers, new genius, new strategies, and a new sense of determination to eradicate racism. There are also new murders, but we continue to stand up for justice and equal rights in our nation’s courts of law as part of our journey. Beyond the 1956 Brown vs. Board of Education victory and the Civil Rights Act of 1964, African-Americans have benefited from the “perception of strength, unity, and tenacity in the fights against the Goliaths of racism and bigotry”.
We are as viable today as we were in 1956, however, our people have to continue to rise up to the occasion and believe that the vision for peace and equality is attainable. We do not have the luxury of resting on the laurels of past victories because of the compelling challenges we still face.
After decades of progress, hate is on the rise across America. At rallies, on television, and across the Web racism and race-baiting has crept back into our public discourse. Against that tide we call on all Americans to stand for the values that have made our country great.
LEADERSHIP & INSPIRATION
The Reverend John C. Humphrey, Jr. Religious Award was established in honor President Humphrey who was a leader in the Black community and strong supporter of the youth. President Humphrey hosted the annual NAACP Gospel gathering called “Lift Every Voice.” President Humphrey was inducted into the Auburn/Cayuga NAACP Hall of Fame in 2011.
The Jerome H. “Brud” Holland Youth Leader Award was establish in honor of Auburn’s Native son. Dr. Jerome Holland was the first African-American to serve on the board of the New York Stock Exchange. He served as President of Delaware State College and Hampton Institute. Dr. Holland was appointed United States Ambassador to Sweden from 1970 to 1972. The Auburn School District Football stadium was named “Holland Stadium” in 1971.
THE NAACP AUBURN CAYUGA BRANCH TODAY
The Auburn Cayuga Branch of the NAACP is a unit chartered by the New York State Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. As a branch we are dedicated to serving the Auburn and Cayuga County community through our Game Changers.
William Jackson became the Executive Director of Booker T. Washington Community Center and was the first modern day President of the Auburn/Cayuga NAACP. The local branch was established in the 1960’s. Mr. Jackson served 30 years as President of the branch. He started the NAACP in both the City of Auburn and the Auburn Correctional Facility. Throughout his tenured, Mr. Jackson served as Regional Director of the NYS Conference of the NAACP in upstate New York. Mr. Jackson was known throughout NYS and the National Organization as “Mr. NAACP.”
The local branch established the William and Helen Jackson college stipend to graduating seniors of color in Auburn and Cayuga County. Since 2007 the local branch has awarded $30,100.00 to graduating students of color in Cayuga County. In 2017, the branch awarded a historic fourteen students with college stipends.
In recognition of African American Pioneers in Auburn, the branch established awards in their honor at the Annual Freedom Fund Banquet. The Dale Post Educator Award was established in honor of the First African-American teacher in the Auburn Enlarged City School District. Mr. Post served as president of the local branch and founded “The NAACP Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Millennium Luncheon.” In 2010, President Post was inducted into the Auburn/Cayuga NAACP Hall of Fame.
WE’RE JUST GETTING STARTED!
Auburn and Cayuga County’s rich African-American history led the branch to research and produce “The African-American Trailblazers in Auburn” for their significant contributions to Auburn and Cayuga County. We call these men and women Auburn Trailblazers.
The men and women featured as Trailblazers offer powerful examples of individuals who refused to be defined by their circumstances. Their biographies are a testament to the determination and perseverance displayed by extraordinary people during challenging times. Through education and advocacy, these individuals demonstrate how African-Americans have actively campaigned for better lives for themselves and their people.
“This nation was founded on the principle that all men are created equal, and that the rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened.”
– John F. Kennedy
