National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is a civil rights organization in the United States that fights for the rights of African Americans. NAACP is usually pronounced "en double-ay see pee."The NAACP was founded as the American Negro Committee on February 12, 1909 by a group of thirteen activists, where W. E. B. DuBois was the only African American while the others were Jewish Americans. The organization was one of the leading organizations involved in the civil rights struggle of the 1960s and 70s.
By 1914, there were 6,000 members and 50 branches of the organization. Du Bois was the editor of Crisis, the association's magazine which reached more than 30,000 people.
The first presidents of the NAACP were Jewish, but following the death of Kivie Kaplan in 1975, an African American was elected. As of 2004, the president of the organization is Kweisi Mfume.
See also: Niagara Movement
