MS NAACP November 2018 Newsletter

Election 2018: MS NAACP and One Voice partnered for Election Protection Call Center

The right to vote is a privilege and responsibility that must not be taken lightly—not by those whose job it is to ensure a clear and effective voting process nor by those of us whose job it is to get out the vote. So, in a nonpartisan attempt to mitigate any uncertainty or tension surrounding the voting process, the Mississippi State Conference NAACP and One Voice partnered during the 2018 election to host an election protection call center staffed by knowledgeable attorneys and highly-trained community volunteers who anticipated and assisted with polling issues and acted as connecting agents between citizens and election experts.

In October, the MS NAACP named Reverend Dr. Robert James as its new state conference president. Rev. James is a longtime supporter and member of the NAACP, who accepted his new position following a yearlong stint as state 1st vice president and membership chairperson. He is excited to begin the new journey and looks forward to serving as State Conference President.

Rev. James’s leadership experience stems back to his home branch in Stone County, where his leadership on the local level resulted in the branch’s successful re-chartering and restructuring in 2013. His dedication to expanding the efforts of his home branch also led to his being honored with the MS NAACP Volunteer of the Year Award in 2014 and second place for the national Thalheimer Award in the following year.

In his more recent role as 1st vice president, Rev. James focused on increasing membership and implementing initiatives that fulfill the organization’s mission. One of his larger projects included developing a five-year plan to increase state conference membership, and thus broaden the association’s impact and influence, both locally and abroad. The initiative, launched in early 2018, is still in effect today. As president, he hopes to continue these and other initiatives to advance advocacy and action in the Mississippi State Conference.

Outside of his work with NAACP, Reverend Robert James is an ordained minister, who received his calling into ministry in 1993 and was ordained in 1995. He has received his Bachelor of Theology Degree and his Bachelor of Religious Education Degree from Mississippi Baptist Seminary.

He is married to his beautiful wife of twenty-eight years, Drucilla McCloud James, and they have three daughters and nine grandchildren.

As an ordained minister and devoted family man, Rev. James is committed to ensuring that all citizens of color can experience the good life God has prepared for them. He stands firmly on the belief that it is the responsibility of this organization to act as a light in the darkness of division, always remembering Hebrews 6:10: “God is not unrighteous to forget your work and your labor of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, ye have ministered to the saints and do minister.”

It is his desire to please God and serve humanity.


73rd Annual State Convention and Policy Institute Re-cap

The Mississippi State Conference congratulates and extends our deepest appreciation to the members and leaders of the Gulfport Branch NAACP for hosting NAACP members and friends at the 73rd Annual State Convention and Policy Institute in Bay St. Louis, this month. This year’s convention exemplified the true spirit of our state conference, and it served as a testament to the hard work of each of the planners and organizers who helped make the event a success.

Each year of the State Convention and Policy Institute presents a new and exciting opportunity for our organization and its constituents to convene and discuss the most pressing issues facing African-Americans and all people of color. The informative sessions, interactive workshops, enlightening meetings and invigorating luncheons at this year’s convention allowed attendees the much-needed space to celebrate significant milestones and also engage our renowned guest lecturers and association leaders in the provocative conversations that continuously undergird our work.

With topics ranging from religion and politics to health and education, this year’s convention set the stage for a political and social paradigm shift in the state of Mississippi, our region and our country. As we pursue the truest forms of freedom for all people of color, we will continue to use our most powerful weapons—our knowledge, our skills, and our resources—to “Defeat Hate” for the greater good.

We look forward to seeing you in 2019, at the 74th Annual State Convention and Policy Institute!

Mississippi State Conference NAACP November Press Statements

The MS NAACP addressed the inflammatory remarks made by Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith about her willingness to attend a “public hanging.”
Read the full statement here.

The MS NAACP responded to nooses found at the Mississippi State Capitol and called for our elected officials to be held accountable for their rhetoric and voting records.

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