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MISSION
STATEMENT

The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination.

Empowering Communities

Rockingham County Branch NAACP is dedicated to empowering communities, advocating for justice, and upholding civil rights. We are committed to fighting for equality and freedom, and ensuring that all individuals are treated with dignity and respect.

Our Commitment

At Rockingham County Branch NAACP, our commitment is to actively engage with communities, raise awareness, and advocate for the protection of civil rights. We believe in the importance of education and awareness to bring about positive change and to ensure that every individual is afforded their rights.

We firmly believe in the inherent dignity and equality of all people, and we work tirelessly to create a world where civil rights are upheld for everyone, irrespective of their background or identity.

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Rockingham County Branch

Education

EDUCATION
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 Ramona Bankston- Chairperson

The Education Committee seeks the establishment of a culture and environment in which all are valued and treated with respect, and all students are empowered to excel—with an elimination of current pervasive racial inequities in achievement and discipline.

 

The Committee on Education shall: (1) seek to eliminate segregation and other discriminatory practices in public education; (2) study local educational conditions affecting minority groups; (3) investigate the public school system and school zoning; (4) familiarize itself with textbook materials there from which is racially derogatory; (5) seek to stimulate school attendance; (6) keep informed of school conditions and strive to correct abuses where found; (7) investigate the effects of standardized and high stakes testing practices; (8) teacher certification; and (9) promote parental involvement in education; and (10) aim to be a center of popular education on the race question and on the work of the Association.

 

71% OF CHILDREN EXPERIENCING POVERTY ARE CHILDREN OF COLOR.

 

We advocate for equitable local, state, and federal policies that establish education standards, allocate resources, and set priorities for education and workforce systems.

 

Every child deserves an opportunity to reach their full potential. But our education systems are collapsing under inequity, and it's mostly because of poverty. Students who experience severe economic obstacles perform worse than students who have access to more wealth.

To bridge these gaps and ensure that all children get a real chance at a fulfilling education, we need to address systemic racism and poverty as tangible barriers to learning and future achievement.

Every student deserves access to great teaching, equitable resources, and a safe learning environment from grade school classrooms to college campuses. Working on their behalf has never been more urgent.

education

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'Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." -Martin Luther King Jr.

Legal Redress

Rev. Marcus Fairley- Chairperson

Law

 

The  Legal  Redress  Committee  shall:    

(1)  investigate  all cases  reported  to  it;

 (2)  supervise  all  litigation  in  which  the  Unit  is interested; and

(3) keep the National Office  and the Branch informed on the progress of every case.  

The Legal Redress Committee shall not give general legal advice

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Political Action

Rochelle Tucker- Chairperson

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The Political Action Committee shall:

(1) seek to increase registration and voting;

(2) work for enactment of municipal, state and federal legislation designed to improve the educational,

political and economic status of minority groups;

(3) seek the repeal of racially discriminatory legislation;

(4) work to improve the administration of justice;

(5) work to secure equal enforcement of the law; and

(6) keep the National Office and the Unit informed of all proposed legislation which affects minority groups.

The Committee shall be nonpartisan and shall not endorse candidates for public office

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Freedom Fund Banquet

Chairperson: Linda Bass

The Freedom Fund Banquet is the Rockingham County Branch  of the NAACP primary fundraiser, .

These funds allow us to fulfill the NAACP’s mission to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality

of rights of all persons and

to eliminate race-based discrimination.

We do that by addressing issues in our community related to education, equity, labor and economic disparities, voting rights, housing, access to health care, and environmental and criminal justice. At the event, the branch also recognizes the recipients of its annual scholarships and awards honors to outstanding members of the branch and the communities of

Rockingham County.

Armed Services & Veterans Affairs

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The Committee on Armed Services and Veterans’ Affairs shall: (1) seek to establish working relationship with those agencies in government, national, state and local, having the responsibility in the affairs of members of the various Armed Services and Veterans and to see that the program to which they are responsible are administered fairly and justly to members of the minority community; (2) study conditions pertaining to veterans and members of the Military service and their dependents and/or survivors in the community: (3) serve as a center of information on matters affecting the members of the Active Military, Reserves, State National Guard and Veterans; (4) maintain a repository of materials, information and forms to be used in assisting veterans and/or dependents of veterans and military personnel with their problems; (5) receive and act on all complaints relative to acts of discrimination on account of race, color, creed or denial of benefits to which they are entitled because of discrimination; (6) prepare a quarterly report on committee activities to be submitted to the Executive Committee of the Unit and the National Director of Armed Services and Veterans Affairs.

Religious Affairs

Rev. William Hairston- Chairperson

Rev. William Hairston- Chairperson

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The NAACP has always had a strong relationship

with the religious community — one of its closest allies for nearly a century. The Religious Affairs Committee collaborates with Religious Leaders within the community to conduct religious affairs workshops, educate pastors, churches and religious leaders on the history and programs of the NAACP, present moral and ethical interpretations of the civil rights struggle, and the church’s relationship to the struggle

for all denominations.

The Religious Affairs Committee shall include ministerial and lay religious leaders who are members of the Unit. It shall:

  • Promote an educational program designed to give moral and

  • Ethical interpretation of the civil rights struggle;

  • Interpret the work of the Association organized religious groups of all faiths;

  • Enlist the support of such organized religious groups for membership, fundraising, and the struggle for equality and full civil rights; and

  • Provide resource assistance for religious education and social action activities, associated with the improvement of race relations.

EVENTS

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Empowering

The NAACP Freedom Fund is a vital fundraising initiative, primarily through annual banquets and events, that supports local NAACP branches in their mission for racial equality, fighting discrimination, and empowering communities, funding scholarships, activism, and community programs.

OFFICERS

Dedication. Expertise. Passion.

"Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change we seek." - Barack Obama

Scholarships

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Join or Renew Your Membership
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Get in Touch

Do you have any questions or want to learn more about our advocacy work? We welcome you to reach out to us. We are here to listen, engage, and collaborate towards a better and more just future.

History of the NAACP

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     Founded in 1909, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization. Established by a diverse group of activists—both Black and white—the NAACP was created in response to the ongoing violence and injustices faced by African Americans in the early 20th century.

 

     The NAACP was formed partly in response to the continuing horrific practice of lynching and the 1908 race riot in Springfield, the capital of Illinois and resting place of President Abraham Lincoln. Appalled at the violence that was committed against blacks, a group of white liberals that included Mary White Ovington and Oswald Garrison Villard, both the descendants of abolitionists, William English Walling and Dr. Henry Moscowitz issued a call for a meeting to discuss racial justice. Some 60 people, seven of whom were African American (including W. E. B. Du Bois, Ida B. Wells-Barnett and Mary Church Terrell), signed the call, which was released on the centennial of Abraham Lincoln’s birth.

Other early members included Joel and Arthur Spingarn, Josephine Ruffin, Mary Talbert, Inez Milholland, Jane Addams, Florence Kelley, Sophonisba Breckinridge, John Haynes Holmes, Mary McLeod Bethune, George Henry White, Charles Edward Russell, John Dewey, William Dean Howells, Lillian Wald, Charles Darrow, Lincoln Steffens, Ray Stannard Baker, and Fanny Garrison Villard.

     Echoing the focus of Du Bois’ Niagara Movement begun in 1905, the NAACP’s stated goal was to secure for all people the rights guaranteed in the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the United States Constitution, which promised an end to slavery, the equal protection of the law, and universal adult male suffrage, respectively.


     The NAACP’s principal objective is to ensure the political, educational, social and economic equality of minority group citizens of United States and eliminate race prejudice. The NAACP seeks to remove all barriers of racial discrimination through the democratic processes.

     The NAACP established its national office in New York City in 1910 and named a board of directors as well as a president,

Moorfield Storey, a white constitutional lawyer and former president of the American Bar Association. The only African American among the organization’s executives, W.E.B. Du Bois was made director of publications and research. In 1910,

The Crisis, the official journal of the NAACP was established.

     Throughout its history, the NAACP has led landmark efforts in the fight for civil rights. From legal victories such as Brown v. Board of Education (1954), which ended legal school segregation, to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965, the NAACP has been instrumental in shaping a more just America.  With over a century of progress behind it, the NAACP remains steadfast in its commitment to achieving equality and justice for future generations. 
     The Rockingham County Branch of the NAACP proudly carries forward this legacy at the local level. Through advocacy, education, voter engagement, and community outreach, the branch continues to uphold the NAACP’s vision of a society where every individual is treated with dignity and fairness.

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History of The ROCKINGHAM COUNTY NAACP

     The Reidsville NAACP Branch was organized on October 15, 1947, and formally chartered on November 10, 1947, at St. Paul Methodist Church.  

     From its earliest days, the Reidsville branch became the most active civil rights organization in Rockingham County during the early struggle for racial justice in the region.  

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James A. Griggs – President (1958–1972)

   James Arthur Griggs was elected president of the Reidsville NAACP Branch in 1958. He served as president for 14 years, from 1958 until October 1972, leading the branch through a crucial period of civil rights activism during segregation. Under his leadership, the chapter was deeply involved in organizing and advocating for racial justice at a time when segregation was still rigidly enforced in Reidsville and the surrounding area. During this era, local NAACP leaders like Griggs were the backbone of grassroots civil rights work, especially in smaller Southern cities where legal and social pressure for change was fierce.

 

Willie R. Boyd – President (1972–1982)

     Willie R. Boyd succeeded James A. Griggs in 1972 as the third president of the Reidsville NAACP Branch.  He served in that role for approximately 10 years (1972–1982), continuing and expanding the branch’s work after the major civil rights legislative victories of the 1960s.  Boyd was closely involved in local civil rights efforts and also played a prominent role as a spokesperson in the important national civil rights case Griggs v. Duke Power Co., which originated from NAACP supported employees in Reidsville challenging discriminatory employment practices and reached the U.S. Supreme Court.  

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The Reidsville NAACP Branch played a central role in civil rights in Rockingham County for decades, spearheading activism and legal challenges when other nearby communities did not have active branches. Leaders like Griggs and Boyd helped sustain grassroots advocacy through both direct community organization and by supporting systemic legal challenges against institutional racism.  

Their work contributed not only to local civil rights progress in education, employment, and racial relations, but also to national legal precedents that shaped civil rights enforcement across the country.

 

 

  

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Griggs v. Duke Power

     Griggs v. Duke Power Company was a landmark employment discrimination case decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1971. It concerned the legality, under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, of high school diplomas and intelligence test scores as prerequisites for employment. The court ruled unanimously against the intelligence testing practices of the Duke Power Company. Chief Justice Warren Burger delivered the Court’s opinion that employers can use intelligence tests only if “they are demonstrably a reasonable measure of job performance.”

 

Background

The case originated in a lawsuit filed by Willie Griggs and twelve other African-American employees of Duke Power’s Dan River hydroelectric plant in Draper, North Carolina. Before the passage of the Civil Rights Act, Duke Power discriminated against African-Americans in hiring and promotion, restricting them to the company’s Labor department. In 1955, Duke Power instituted a high school diploma requirement for initial hiring in any department except Labor. (The other departments of Duke Power included Maintenance, Operations, and Laboratory.) In 1965, when the Civil Rights Act went into effect, this requirement was expanded to block transfers from Labor to other departments by employees who had not graduated high school.

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Later that year, Duke Power began allowing non-high-school graduates to transfer from Labor to other departments if they could register sufficient scores on the Wonderlic Test, which rates general mental ability, and the Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test, which is intended to predict job performance in mechanical fields. The scores that Duke Power required on each test were national median scores for high school graduates. The plaintiffs, Duke Power, and all courts that heard the case agreed that whites fared better than African-Americans on these intelligence tests. The tests thus put African-Americans at a disadvantage to whites in Duke Power’s hiring and advancement, and this disadvantage prompted the plaintiffs’ suit. 

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The Legal Challenge

 

     The plaintiffs’ argument was that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which forbade race-based discrimination in employment, prohibited employer-administered tests that could have an exclusionary effect African-Americans. A federal district court ruled in favor of Duke Power on the ground that Duke Power’s policy of overt racial discrimination to wit, racial segregation had ceased. After the case moved beyond the district level, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the intelligence tests administered by Duke Power did not reflect any discriminatory intent and thus were not unlawful under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.

The U.S. Supreme Court finally heard the case in late 1970, and Justice Burger’s opinion took several months to draft. The court overturned the rulings of the lower courts, deciding in favor of Griggs. Intelligence test scores and diplomas as requirements for employment, the court ruled, are not in themselves illegal under Title VII. Nevertheless, when diploma and test requirements (a) limit ethnic minority hiring and (b) do not pertain to job skills or performance, these requirements are illegal.

 

Decision 

      In 1971, in a unanimous groundbreaking decision, the Court ruled against Duke Power. It held that employment practices that are neutral in wording but discriminatory in effect violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act if they are not job-related and consistent with business necessity.

 

 

Why It Was Important

 

The ruling established the legal principle of “disparate impact.” This meant:

    •    Employers could not hide behind neutral policies that produced unequal outcomes.

    •    The burden shifted to employers to prove that job requirements were genuinely related to the work.

    •    Civil rights enforcement expanded beyond intentional discrimination to include systemic and structural inequities.

 

The Court made clear that the law addresses not only overt discrimination, but also practices that perpetuate inequality.

 

The NAACP Connection

 

The case reflects the critical role of local NAACP activism in advancing national civil rights protections. Grassroots organizing in Reidsville helped elevate the issue from a local workplace dispute to a national legal precedent.

 

The NAACP’s involvement demonstrates how community-level advocacy, when combined with strategic litigation, can transform public policy across the country.

 

Lasting Legacy

 

More than five decades later, Griggs v. Duke Power Co. remains foundational in employment discrimination law. It continues to shape how courts evaluate hiring practices, testing standards, and workplace policies.

 

What began as a challenge in a small North Carolina community became a decision that strengthened civil rights protections nationwide — proving once again that local courage can lead to national change.

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ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, NC. BRANCH NAACP             (2026)

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