MISSION

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The mission of the NAACP is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination.

 

VISION

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The vision is to ensure a society in which all individuals have equal rights and there is no racial hatred or racial discrimination.

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HISTORY: WHO WE ARE

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For over 112 years, the NAACP has championed the fight for racial justice and equity as the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization, since our organization was founded in 1909.  

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The NAACP DC Branch represents over 2,000 members, over 75 partners and over 10,000  stakeholders  that are voting residents across all 8 wards of the District of Columbia.   Since 1913, the Washington, DC NAACP Branch has led historic fights advocating for the political, economic and cultural empowerment of Blacks people in District of Columbia.  In 1914, our early members led a rally of over 10,000 people protesting segregation, equality and police brutality against Black men, women and children in Washington, DC.   Today, the NAACP is a fierce, advocate for transformative solutions to ensure Black lives are safe, healthy, thriving and valued in all spaces.  

 

The NAACP was founded on February 12, 1909 in New York City, NY, by Ida Wells-Barnett, W.E.B. DuBois, Henry Moscowitz, Mary White Ovington, Oswald Garrison Villiard and William English Walling.

 

The NAACP Washington, DC Branch was chartered on June 3, 1913 by Carrie Clifford, Geo Cook, W. B. Hartgrove, H. R. Clarke, Charlotte Hunter, Julia Layton, William McCary, M. Harshaw, Rev. A. C. Garner and several other prominent activists, dedicated to combating racial discrimination and ending violence against Black residents in the nation’s capital.  By 1914, the Washington, DC Branch became the largest and most powerful NAACP Branch in the nation, with prominent members including Carter G. Woodson, Dr. Edwin Henderson.

 

Since its inception, the Washington, DC Branch has had strong, leadership committed to the fight for civil rights, racial justice and equality by leading powerful opposition to racial discrimination, segregation and violence against Blacks.  Under the leadership of Archibald A. Grimke, he grew the membership of the Washington, DC NAACP Branch from 143 to over 700 members. 

 

In the early years, the Washington, DC Branch was a fierce advocate for racial inclusion, anti-lynching and combating police brutality against Blacks.  In the 1920’s, the DC Branch organized rallies of over 10,000 people protesting President Wilson’s segregation of the Federal Government.  The DC Branch advocated tirelessly for the anti-lynching legislation, which didn’t pass due to the Filibuster until 2018.  In the 1930’s, DC NAACP victories included the firing of 2 police officers for brutally beating several Black men.  In addition, we successfully overturned segregation orders in workplaces and public facilities.  In 1957, the Branch testified with affidavits and photographic evidence documenting police misconduct, brutality and egregious abuse of Blacks men, women and children by white police officers.

 

Today, the DC Branch continues this historic work to advance the fight for racial equity and justice.  The original NAACP DC Branch Office was located at 1019 U Street, NW Washington, DC.  One hundred years later, the DC Branch Office is still located on U Street, inside the Masonic Temple Building located at 1000 U Street, NW Washington, DC.