The Mississippi State Conference NAACP is leading efforts to ensure the state abides by the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 that provides citizens with additional time to register to vote in runoff elections.

In June 2018, John Powers, counsel for the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights under Law, sent a written notice on behalf of the Mississippi NAACP and the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law to the office of Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann to address a longstanding discrepancy in the state’s voting practices.

The current procedure, which requires voting eligible Mississippi citizens to register to vote more than thirty days prior to the primary and special election runoff elections for federal offices, directly violates Section 8 of the National Voting Rights Act of 1993, which requires that each State shall “ensure that any eligible applicant is registered to vote in an election” if the applicant has registered to vote “not later than the lesser of 30 days, or the period provided by State law, before the date of the election.”

Assistant Attorney General Harold Pizzetta responded to the letter, assuring citizens that the state is committed to complying with National Voter Registration Act of 1993 and invested in ensuring that all citizens have access to full voting rights, despite the opinions of those who have undergirded the unlawful practices.

Read more in an article from the Jackson Free Press.

Mississippi Updating Voter Registration Deadline for Runoffs | July 13, 2018

The Mississippi State Conference NAACP hosted its 12th Annual Catfish and Blues Reception at the 109th NAACP National Convention in San Antonio, Texas, on Tuesday, July 17, 2018. Nearly nine hundred delegates from across the nation attended the event, excited to indulge in Southern-style foods and dance the night away to down-home Blues music.

An address from National President and former MS NAACP President Derrick Johnson kicked off the event, and live music from The Big Al Band of Texas provided entertainment for guests from across the country. Among those in the packed-out audience were NAACP national board members and popular members like journalist Roland Martin.

A special thanks to our event sponsor, Cracker Barrel.

The Vicksburg NAACP branch will celebrate 100 years since its 1918 charter by hosting its centennial semi-formal banquet on August 11, 2018 at 6:00 p.m. in the Vicksburg Convention Center. Branch members are inviting Mississippi NAACP members and friends from across the state to commemorate the historic moment and commence the next century of service and advocacy.

The event will feature live music from the Vicksburg Branch Mass Choir, which includes NAACP life members from the Mu Xi Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.; Omicron Rho Lambda chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.; the Vicksburg Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; the Vicksburg chapter of The Links Inc.; the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women; the Vicksburg-Warren chapters of the Alcorn State University and Mississippi Valley State University National Alumni Associations; and several area churches, including King Solomon Baptist Church, Locust Grove M. B. Church, and Mercy Seat Baptist Church.

Dr. Bettye Gardner, accomplished scholar, Vicksburg native, and relative of one of the charter members of the Vicksburg branch, will serve as the event’s featured guest.

Tickets are available for $35.00, and tables and souvenir booklet advertisements are also available for reservation. For more information, email vicksburgbranch@yahoo.com, or contact the event chair, Ms. Bobbie Bingham Morrow, at (601) 630-5847 or the event co-chair, Mrs. Grace Brown, at (601) 218-2571.

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The Vicksburg NAACP branch was first chartered in July 1918, amid the South’s sordid race relations. Following a temporary dismantling of the organization, the branch was chartered once more on April 8, 1940. As the oldest branch in the state of Mississippi, the branch has become home to a number of noteworthy activists, leaders, and organizers, including the city’s first African-American mayor, Robert Walker; Dr. Bettye Gardner, accomplished professor and scholar; and innumerable others who have helped advance the lives of all people in the state of Mississippi and abroad.

Mark your calendars for the 73rd Annual Mississippi State Conference NAACP State Convention and Policy Institute at the Hollywood Resort in Bay St. Louis, MS, November 8-10! The theme of this year’s event is, “Defeat Hate. Vote.”

The three-day event will be hosted by the Gulfport NAACP Branch, and will galvanize members from branches across the state. You do not want to miss this gathering!

Mark your calendars for the upcoming Mississippi State Conference NAACP conventions and events. Join us to receive valuable training and discuss the future of NAACP!

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Gold Strike Casino

1010 Casino Center Dr, Robinsonville, MS 38664

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Grace Temple Baptist Church

1334 Old Hwy 49, Gulfport, MS, 39577

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Grace Temple Baptist Church

1334 Old Hwy 49, Gulfport, MS, 39577

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Jackson Marriott

200 E. Amite St, Jackson, MS 39201

Dr. Julian Vasquez Heilig addresses the growing debate surrounding education reform in her 2018 article, “What Instead?: Reframing the Debate About Charter Schools, Teach for America, and High-Stakes Testing.”

In her article, “A Sociologist Examines the ‘White Fragility’ That Prevents White Americans from Confronting Racism,” staff writer for the New Yorker, Katy Waldman, writes candidly about the pervasive nature of race, and provides an in-depth review of Robin DiAngelo’s book White Fragility