[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 27 (Tuesday, February 13, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E333]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




HONORING AND PRAISING THE NAACP ON THE OCCASION OF ITS 98TH ANNIVERSARY

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                               speech of

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, February 12, 2007

  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the National 
Association for the Advancement of Colored People, NAACP, on its 98th 
anniversary.
  On February 12, 1909, the NAACP was founded by W.E.B. DuBois, Ida 
Wells-Barnett, Henry Moscowitz, Mary White Ovington, Oswald Garrison 
Villard, and William English Walling to embark on fight for the civil 
rights of Native Americans, Asian Americans, African Americans, and 
Jewish people. These brave men and women had a vision of equality and a 
commitment to fight for the downtrodden, in an era when people of 
color, meaning anyone who was nonwhite, were denied rights and subject 
to harassment and intimidation. Their commitment to establishing an 
organization that would stand up to power was unparalleled. The words, 
from the original charter, prove the need and urgency to establish such 
an organization. It stated, ``To promote equality of rights and to 
eradicate caste or race prejudice among the citizens of the United 
States; to advance the interest of colored citizens; to secure for them 
impartial suffrage; and to increase their opportunities for securing 
justice in the courts, education for the children, employment according 
to their ability and complete equality before law.'' With the spirit of 
fighting for equality as the motivation and the constitution as the 
tool, the battle for equality would be with the courts and thus, they 
marched on.
  In the beginning, the NAACP's efforts focused on fighting the 
segregation laws under Jim Crow. I vividly remember living with 
separate but equal as the accepted doctrine. I also recall stories of 
people who gave their lives fighting that injustice. Despite the 
struggle, the NAACP did not waver in the face of adversity and took its 
fight with separate but equal education to the highest court in the 
land, the Supreme Court, with the landmark case Brown vs. Board of 
Education and was victorious.
  Today, the NAACP continues to be a voice for minorities and does 
excellent work with the continued fight for civil rights and equality. 
On this day, the 98th anniversary, I pay homage to the NAACP for work 
done in the past, present, and it is to be expected in the future.

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