NAACP

NAACP Profile and History

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is a civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans by a group including W. E. B. Du Bois, Mary White Ovington, Moorfield Storey and Ida B. Wells. Over the years, leaders of the organization have included Thurgood Marshall and Roy Wilkins. Its m ission in the 21st century is "to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination". National NAACP initiatives include political lobbying, publicity efforts and litigation strategies developed by its legal team. The NAACP bestows annual awards on African Americans in three categories: Image Awards are for achievement in the arts and media, Theatre Awards are for achievements in theatre and stage, and Spingarn Medals are for outstanding achievement of any kind. Its headquarters is in Baltimore, Maryland.