Sponsored by

NAACP -- Entering a New Era

by Janine Fondon

On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) extended its congratulations and appreciation for the great work the organization has done to achieve a shared mission.

"Few organizations can achieve a centenarian milestone; fewer still can make such a broad and wide-ranging impact on the livelihood of African Americans and other people of color as the NAACP has," said NABJ President Barbara Ciara. "One hundred years of fighting oppression is a long time; though the journey is not over, we praise the vitality and commitment of the NAACP leadership to confront a new era and new challenges facing people of color in America."

The NAACP was founded in New York City in 1909 to ensure the political, educational, social and economic equality of all citizens. In the decades that ensued, the organization has proven instrumental in breaking down barriers for African Americans. The organization celebrated its centennial Thursday evening with an address by the first African-American President of the United States, Barack Obama.

NABJ and the NAACP have an overlapping history that goes back to the founding of the NAACP by W.E. B. Du Bois, who disseminated the civil rights message in part through newspaper columns and by acting as editor-in-chief of the NAACP publication, The Crisis. W.E.B. Du Bois was a charter inductee to the NABJ Hall of Fame in 2004.