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Join Us: Civil Rights Events in Rockingham County

Civil rights are a cornerstone of democracy, ensuring that every individual is treated with dignity and respect. In Rockingham County, a series of events are set to take place that aim to celebrate, educate, and advocate for civil rights. These events provide a platform for community members to engage, learn, and take action. Whether you are a long-time activist or someone just beginning to explore these important issues, there is something for everyone.


Eye-level view of a community gathering at a civil rights event
A community gathering discussing civil rights issues in Rockingham County.

Understanding Civil Rights


Civil rights refer to the rights of individuals to receive equal treatment under the law. These rights protect individuals from discrimination based on race, gender, age, disability, and other characteristics. Understanding the history and significance of civil rights is essential for fostering a more inclusive society.


The Historical Context


The civil rights movement in the United States gained momentum in the 1950s and 1960s, aiming to end racial segregation and discrimination against African Americans. Key figures such as Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and Malcolm X played pivotal roles in advocating for equality. Their efforts led to significant legislative changes, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.


Current Civil Rights Issues


Today, civil rights issues extend beyond race. They encompass a wide range of topics, including:


  • Gender Equality: Advocating for equal pay and opportunities for women.

  • LGBTQ+ Rights: Fighting against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

  • Disability Rights: Ensuring accessibility and equal opportunities for individuals with disabilities.

  • Racial Justice: Addressing systemic racism and promoting equity for all racial and ethnic groups.


Upcoming Events in Rockingham County


Rockingham County is hosting several events aimed at raising awareness and promoting civil rights. Here are some highlights:


Community Forums


Date: March 15, 2024

Location: Rockingham County Community Center

Details: Join local leaders and activists for an open discussion on current civil rights issues. This forum will provide a platform for community members to voice their concerns and share their experiences.


Educational Workshops


Date: April 10, 2024

Location: Rockingham Public Library

Details: Participate in workshops that cover topics such as understanding your rights, advocacy strategies, and the history of civil rights in America. These workshops are designed for all ages and backgrounds.


March for Justice


Date: May 5, 2024

Location: Downtown Rockingham

Details: Join us for a march to promote justice and equality for all. This event will feature speakers, performances, and opportunities to connect with local organizations dedicated to civil rights.


Film Screening and Discussion


Date: June 20, 2024

Location: Rockingham Arts Center

Details: Attend a screening of a documentary focused on the civil rights movement, followed by a discussion with local historians and activists. This event aims to educate attendees about the struggles and triumphs of the movement.


How to Get Involved


Participating in civil rights events is a great way to make a difference in your community. Here are some ways you can get involved:


Volunteer Opportunities


Many organizations in Rockingham County are looking for volunteers to help with event planning, outreach, and education. Consider reaching out to local civil rights groups to see how you can contribute.


Attend Events


Mark your calendar and attend the events listed above. Your presence shows support for civil rights and helps raise awareness in the community.


Spread the Word


Share information about these events with friends, family, and on social media. The more people who know about these opportunities, the greater the impact we can make together.


Educate Yourself


Take the time to learn about civil rights issues. Read books, watch documentaries, and engage in discussions to deepen your understanding of the challenges faced by marginalized communities.


The Importance of Community Engagement


Community engagement is vital for fostering a culture of respect and equality. When individuals come together to discuss and advocate for civil rights, they create a powerful force for change. Here are some benefits of community engagement:


  • Building Relationships: Engaging with others fosters connections and understanding among diverse groups.

  • Empowerment: Community involvement empowers individuals to take action and advocate for their rights and the rights of others.

  • Awareness: Events raise awareness about civil rights issues, encouraging more people to get involved and support the cause.


Conclusion


Rockingham County is taking significant steps toward promoting civil rights through a variety of events. By participating in these gatherings, you can contribute to a more equitable society. Whether you choose to attend a forum, volunteer, or simply educate yourself, your involvement matters. Together, we can create a community that values and upholds the rights of all individuals.


Join us in this important journey toward justice and equality. Your voice is powerful, and your actions can make a difference.

 
 
 

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History of the NAACP

naacp founders_edited.jpg

     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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