Monday, December 19, 2011

Jefferson City, MO NAACP December Meeting Announcement with the credentials of the folks running for the national board and reference materials for Nimrod Chapel, Jr. - Candidate For President of the Missouri State Conference - election January 7, 2012

Jefferson City,  MO - NAACP General Membership Meeting will be at Perkins Resturant at 6PM - 
room in the back.  

ON THE AGENDA -

  • Election of delegates to the January 7, 2012 Missouri State NAACP Conference President Election Re-do - www.vote4Nimrod.blogspot.com for details on the election and President Chapel's background, 
  • Selection of National Board Members by ballot, and
  • Review of priorities for the coming year and holiday cheer. 


As for the National Board Members Up for Election/Reelection/Retention here is some info on each of them that one of our college members thought might be of assistance:


NAACP National Board Election Candidates
Ophelia Averitt
Ophelia Averitt has been a lifelong member of the NAACP active from her childhood in Alabama and continuing today in her adopted home in Akron, Ohio. She is a graduate of the Patterson School of Nursing as well as the Vogue Academy of Hair Design and an Herbal Nutritionist. Her sincere and caring nature as well as the entrepreneurial skills of her professional training is also reflected in her NAACP and other volunteer service activities. She operates Simon’s Salon and Health Boutique. For years, she has given free monthly seminars on health; “You are what you eat and think” taking her community on a journey into better health. Her pleasant disposition, dogged determination, and passion for the NAACP, together with her exceptional mastery of sales techniques, have made her the premiere solicitor of NAACP memberships, especially Life Memberships. She has consistently brought hundreds of NAACP Life Memberships and tens of thousands of dollars to the Association every year for the past 20 years. Her record is unmatched. She has been the President of the Akron, Ohio Chapter of NAACP for the last 14 years after serving as the 1st Vice Chair of the Ohio State Conference of the NAACP for 10 years. She is a member of the NAACP National Board of Directors where she serves as the National Life Membership Chairperson. Mrs. Averitt, almost single handedly established five new NAACP college chapters: the University of Akron; Kent State University; Rice University; The College of Wooster and Youngstown State University. Over the last five years, she was also instrumental in procuring 70 college scholarships from the Carrie Simon NAACP Scholarship Fund. She is active and devoted member of the Wesley Temple AME Zion Church in Akron and has been honored and recognized as one of the most influential women in Northeast Ohio by the prestigious Cleveland Foundation.

Fred Banks
Mississippi lawyer, judge, and civil rights advocate. Served as the local counsel for the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund in Jackson, Mississippi and later served as the general counsel to the Mississippi State Conference of NAACP Branches. Banks participated in school desegregation, housing and employment discrimination, voting rights and other civil rights cases as well as general law practice. In 1975, Banks was elected to the Mississippi House of Representatives from Hinds County. In February 1985, he was appointed Circuit Judge for the 7th Circuit District, which at that time included Hinds and Yazoo counties. Banks served on the Mississippi Supreme Court from 1991 to 2001. He was president of the Jackson Branch of the NAACP from 1971 through 1982 and served as a member of the National Board of Directors of the NAACP.

Amos Brown
Known among World leaders, Presidents, celebrities, and academicians alike for his trademark activism, intellectual discipline, and masterful oratory, Dr. Amos C. Brown is a legend in his own time. Tutored by Medgar Evers, Benjamin Mays, Samuel Williams, J. Pious Barbour, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (as one of the eight students in the only class Dr. King taught in his lifetime at Morehouse College), Dr. Brown has never seen the issues of society as separate from the mission of the church, especially when the members of the church are directly affected by systems of evil. A native of Jackson, Mississippi, Dr. Brown has been Pastor of San Francisco's Third Baptist Church since 1976. As a scholar, theologian, preacher and social activist, he has maintained a marriage of piety and political action in his ministry. He was equipped for great and distinct ministerial leadership through his training at Morehouse College, B.A. (1964) and earned degrees of Master of Divinity degree from Crozer Theological Seminary and the Doctor of Ministry from United Theological Seminary. Before accepting the call to Third Baptist, he served as pastor of Saint Paul's Baptist Church in West Chester, Pennsylvania and Pilgrim Baptist Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. Under his leadership, Third Baptist Church has established a summer school program, created an After-School Academic enrichment program (Back on Track) in partnership with Temple Emanuel Congregation, the Charles A. Tindley Academy of Music; sponsored more African refugees than any local congregation in the nation and sponsored 80 children from Tanzania to receive heart surgery in the United States. He led the Bay Area in raising $68,000 for the Somalian Relief Effort in 1984, led in founding the Black American Response to the African Crisis, which raised $300,000 for the Ethiopian Famine crises, and led an airlift to Ethiopia under the auspices of the National Baptist Convention. In addition to his pastoral responsibilities, he has served as a member of the governing board of San Francisco Community College, National Chairman of the National Baptist Commission on Civil Rights and Human services, member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, Chairman of the Bay Area Ecumenical Pastors Conference, first Vice President of the California State Baptist Convention, President of NAACP Branch in San Francisco, California, and a member of the governing board of the National Council of Churches of Christ. Dr. Brown was a delegate to the 2001 United Nations Conference on Race and Intolerance in Durban, South Africa. He represented the National Board of the NAACP in this World Conference. Also in the wake of the tragedy of September 11, 2001, Dr. Brown was one of the principal national faith leaders to give a response address to the tragedy at the San Francisco's Day of Remembrance. In September of 2001, Dr. Brown and Jesse Jackson met with the venerable, Nelson Mandela in South Africa around issues of African development and U.S. foreign policy matters. And as a great champion of educational enterprises, he brought to Third Baptist the Honorable Kweisi Mfume for an evening of "Celebrating our Commitment and Passion for Education and Academic Excellence". From this effort over $67,000 was raised for scholarships for worthy students who are pursuing higher education and training. Dr. Brown was awarded the Martin Luther King, Jr. Ministerial Award for outstanding leadership and contributions to the Black Church in America. He was also inducted into the International Hall of Fame at the King International Chapel at Morehouse College. For a second time, Dr. And Mrs. Brown was invited by President and First Lady Barak and Michelle Obama to a Christmas Reception at the White House. Most recently, the City and County of San Francisco honored Dr. Brown during the Martin Luther Ling Jr. Holiday, and gave a brilliant address to the community. In April of 2011 he will be honored by his hometown of Jackson Mississippi. Sharing Dr. Brown's commitment to service and racial uplift are his wife, Mrs. Jane Smith Brown of Richmond, Virginia, two sons, Amos C. Brown, Jr., David Josephus Brown, and daughter, Kizzie Marie Brown.

Edward Dubose
Edward O. DuBose, president of the Georgia State NAACP Conference. As the state NAACP leader, his philosophy is: "Greatness can only be achieved through hard work and a willing mind." Over the years, DuBose has received numerous awards for his work as a civil rights leader. These include: the Georgia State Conference President's Award (2003, 2004, and 2005); the Kelly M. Alexander, Sr. Memorial Leadership Award (2004); the Seventh Annual Malcom X Leadership Award (2003); the Columbus NAACP Branch Leadership Award (2003); the Georgia ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) Award; and the ABWA Business Associate Award for outstanding service to the community (2004). The oldest of 10 children, DuBose was educated in the Atlanta Public School System. After graduating from Harper High School, he joined the United States Army, where he completed 21 years of honorable service before retiring in 1998. Part of that time was spent in Germany, Korea, and Italy. In July of 1997, while still serving in the military, the civil rights leader was nominated as the 16th president of the Columbus Branch of the NAACP. Under his guidance, the organization increased its membership by more than 50 percent in eight months and retired a five-year debt, totaling over $6,000 in just six months. He remained president of the local branch until 2005. As president, DuBose established the first NAACP Image Award as well as the first Religious Affairs Award in Columbus; hosted the largest, most successful Freedom Fund Banquet in the branch's 28-year history, with 1,000 attendees and $80,000 in revenues; succeeded in bringing the seven-county NAACP Training Institute to Columbus in 1998; coordinated the largest protest march in the city's history, following the shooting death of Kenneth Walker; assisted in planning the first Black History Month weekend celebration in Columbus; and helped establish the only NAACP radio program in Georgia. As a result of his proven leadership abilities, he was elected second vice president of the Georgia State Conference of the NAACP in 2001. During his four years as second vice president, he served as the state chairman of veterans' affairs (1999-2001) and as the NAACP coordinator for District 21 (1999-2002), which encompasses nine counties. He likewise served as the personal assistant to the state conference president in 2003. Along with his job as conference president, DuBose also owns Oxygen Metal Health Counseling Services, which provides in-home counseling to at-risk youth and families throughout Georgia and Alabama. The keynote speaker holds an associate's degree in general education, a bachelor's degree in business administration, and a master's degree in clinical mental health counseling. Moreover, he is a certified anger management specialist and is a member of the National Board of Certified Counselors and the Licensed Professional Counselors Association of Georgia. DuBose and his wife of 22 years, Cynthia DuBose, have three daughters, Cynthia Harris, Casonya Hardaway Glover, and Kimberly DuBose.

William Graves
Bishop Graves is the 42nd Bishop of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, elected at the 1982 General Conference. His role as a representative of the C.M.E. Church began early in his ministry. He was elected the President of the National Youth Conference and represented the denomination in the World Council of Churches in India; and in the World Methodist Conference on several occasions (London, England; Dublin, Ireland, Rio de Janeiro, Singapore and Honolulu, Hawaii), Sweden, and The Holy Land. Chairman, Board of Directors, Revelation Corporation of America, Inc.
Chairman, Board of Trustees, Lane College, Jackson, TN
Chairman, Board of Trustees, Collins Chapel Health Center, Memphis, TN
Chairman, Board of Finance, C.M.E. Church
Chairman, Several Housing Projects (Tennessee and Arkansas)
Member of The National Board of Directors, NAACP
Member of Trustee Board, Interdenominational Theological Center and Phillip School of Theology, Atlanta GA
Vice-Chairman, Board of Directors, Memphis Light, Gas and Water, Memphis, TN
Chairman, National Headquarters, C.M.E. Church
National Advisory Committee, Boy Scouts, USA
Member, World Methodist Council
1996 Recipient of the Humanitarian of the Year Award, National Conference of Christian and Jews

Madie Robinson
Robinson is the president of the Florence chapter of the NAACP. She’s been a member of the chapter since 1975. Madie’s dedication and active voice on the positions she has held have won the respect of the other national board members; Her votes and positions taken have always reflected the best interest of the NAACP and its members. Robinson is executive director and chief executive officer of Pee Dee Healthy Start Inc. She has held the position since 1998. Pee Dee Healthy Start was one of the 15 original federally-funded demonstration sites created in 1991 to reduce infant mortality. It was changed in Phase II of the federal initiative to Pee Dee Healthy Start Inc. “Our primary goal is to decrease the incidence of infant mortality and other negative pregnancy outcomes,” Robinson said. “The mission of health education is to increase knowledge and awareness on health issues related to infant mortality and poor birth outcomes through health promotion and health education.”Services provided include outreach and client recruitment, case management, health education, parenting services, public safety and consortium. The consortium provides local, county and regional forums where consumers, providers and concerned volunteers can gather to collaborate regarding action to achieve the common goal of healthier birth outcomes in the Pee Dee. Pee Dee Healthy Start is a nonprofit organization, and its services are free. Those eligible for services include pregnant and parenting women ages 10 through 44.

Yvonne White
Michigan State NAACP President

Keith Ratliff
Rev. Keith A. Ratliff, Sr., NAACP National Board Member, NAACP State Conference
President for Iowa/Nebraska, the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement
of Colored People) the nation’s oldest and most respected civil rights organization.
Rev. Ratliff is a former President of the Des Moines NAACP a position he occupied
for seven years in the 1990’s while also President of the Des Moines Black Ministerial
Alliance during this same time. He is also the State Historian for the Iowa Missionary
and Educational Baptist State Convention and Affiliated Churches. In addition to
his religious duties he serves on numerous community boards and leads a quarterly
NAACP leadership meeting with Governor Vilsack addressing issues such as education,
healthcare, justice and economic empowerment as they impact Iowa’s African American
and minority communities. He earned his Bachelors degree from Simpson College in
History/Education and earned his Masters degree from Drake University in Religious
Leadership. He was a Senior Engineering Analyst at John Deere Des Moines Works for
Thirty three years.








Friday, November 25, 2011

LU Brings in Heavyweight for Commencement!


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT MISTY YOUNG
(573) 681-6032
November 15, 2011

TONYA LEWIS LEE TO SERVE AS COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER
Jefferson City, MO- Tonya Lewis Lee will serve as the keynote speaker during Lincoln University’s December 2011 Commencement, scheduled for Saturday, December 10, at 10:00 a.m. in Jason Gymnasium.

Lewis Lee is founder of multimedia company, Madstone Company, Inc, which has produced children’s programming for the Nickelodeon and Nick at Nite networks. Her works have featured artists including Savion Glover, Gregory Hines, Whoopi Goldberg and Queen Latifah. Lewis Lee is also a children’s author, having collaborated with her husband, Hollywood director Spike Lee, on three books that were published by Madstone Company, Inc. She has made numerous radio and television appearances and been featured in or written articles for several national publications including The New York Times, O, Ebony and Redbook.
An advocate for children, Lewis Lee has produced the documentary, “Crisis in the Crib: Saving our Nation’s Babies,” and is a spokesperson for the infant mortality awareness campaign, “A Healthy Baby Begins with You.” Her work has earned her national recognition, including being named by Essence magazine as one of 2011’s most influential African American women in the United States.
Tonya Lewis Lee is a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College, and holds a J.D. from the University of Virginia. She serves as Vice Chairman of the Board of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. She lives in New York City with her husband and their teenage children.
###

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Sign the Stand for Freedom Petition today and ask a friend to do the same.

NAACP
Dear Friends,

If Charles and David Koch have their way, millions of eligible 
Americans won't be able to cast a vote in 2012.


In recent years, the billionaire political operatives have used 
their vast fortunes to finance the drafting, promoting and
 introduction of model bills restricting people's ability to
 vote, and so far legislatures in 38 states have introduced 
Koch Brothers-supported legislation. All told, this is the most 
aggressive and widespread attack on the right to vote since the 
voting rights restrictions that paved the way for segregation.


This week, Brave New Films debuts a new video shining the 
spotlight on the Koch Brothers and their role in the voting rights 
attacks. "Koch Brothers Exposed" is a call to action for all Americans 
concerned about protecting this most fundamental of rights.


Watch the video and then sign the Stand for Freedom pledge 
today to fight back:

http://action.naacp.org/voting-rights-video


The voter suppression laws take many forms: prohibitive 
voter registration requirements, sharply reduced early 
voting periods, government-issued photo ID requirements, and 
discriminatory laws that disproportionately deny voting rights 
to people with felony convictions.


As I note in the video, these attacks on voting rights are only
 the beginning. The reason that you take away somebody's right
 to vote is so that you can take away the rest of their rights.


Everything we care about is at stake: the right to equal opportunity, 
the right for every child to attend a quality school, for clean water 
to drink and clean air to breathe, and basic protection of civil and 
human rights.The NAACP is organizing aggressively to stop these 
rollbacks. On December 10th, International Human Rights Day, 
we will organize a series of rallies and events around the country. 


In New York City, we will begin our march at a demonstration 
outside the Koch brothers' offices, and continue on to a rally at the 
United Nations Building.


Please join the resistance against these fundamental attacks 
on human rights. Click the link to watch this new video from 
Brave New films, then sign the Stand for Freedom petition 
today and share it with your friends, colleagues and family 
members:

http://action.naacp.org/voting-rights-video


The NAACP has never stood on the sidelines when the extremists 
of any era attacked the voting right of Americans. We will fight the
 Koch brothers and their ilk, and with your help, we will prevail.


Standing for Freedom,


BenBenjamin Todd Jealous
President and CEO
NAACP

Friday, October 21, 2011

Learn more about the death penalty and what citizens can do to oppose it.




AI Midwest Regional in Kansas City, October 28-30
Join Amnesty International, ACLU, Missourians Against Death Penalty and the Justice for Reggie Campaign for a Kick off Rally for Reggie!!!!  The rally is Friday, October 28 at5:30 pm at the J.C. Nichols Fountain, 47th & Main. Reggie’s parents will be speakers.
If you are in or near the Kansas City area next weekend, make plans to attend the Regional as we intensify our efforts to save Reggie and end the death penalty in Missouri. For those in St. Louis, it’s about a 3-1/2 hour drive. For information at the conference, visit the AI website at http://www.amnestyusa.org/events/regional-conferences/midwest-regional-conference.


ALSO - 



March 5 is the new hearing date in Reggie Clemmons case - will you watch to see that justice is done?

We will be intensifying our efforts on the ground from now until March 5 to talk about Reggie’s case. We will be using the traditional media, social networking, petitioning, speakers’ bureau, etc. to get our message out.  Please join us, our partners and friends as we bringMissouri to the forefront.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

48th Freedom Fund Dinner & Silent Auction set for November 18, 2011

Law Professor S. David Mitchell to Keynote the Jefferson City, MO NAACP 48th Annual Freedom Fund Dinner November 18, 2011






Sponsors
2011 Freedom Fund Dinner

Platinum Sponsorship 
Environmental Engineering
Missouri National Guard


Gold Sponsorship
Ameren UE
Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys


Silver Sponsorship
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated
Central Bank
CenturyLink
Hawthorn Bank
Jefferson City School Board
Lincoln University Foundation
Missouri AFL-CIO
Second Baptist Church

Special Contributions
Capital Region Medical Center
Dashtaki Law Firm
Darryl Driver, Esq.
Mr. and Mrs. James Gearhart
St. Mary’s Health Center


 Donations
Capital Plaza Hotel
Lowes
The Y (YMCA)
Bag Lady Exchange
River City Florist
Mr. and Mrs. Gearhart
Lee’s Chicken
Perkins Restaurant
Judge Jon R. Gray
Pizza Hut
Scholastic
Applebee’s Restaurant
Will West Music Store
AFI Gallery
Director Kevin Willmott
Glenn Bonner, Realtor
Unilever
Central Bank
Mid-America Construction Management
Oak Hills Golf Center
Sweet Surrender Farms, Russellville MO
Best Western Capital Inn
Nimrod and Denise Chapel, Jr.




Awards


PRESIDENTIAL CHOICE AWARD

Dorothy Jones
Major Gregory L. Sampson
Master Sergeant Mary L. Williams

This Presidential Choice Award is given to an organization or individuals in the public/private sector, in recognition of its/their commitment and dedication to equal opportunity, access, employment, diversity, community support and leadership.



MYRTLE SMITH ODEN YOUNG ADULT SERVICE AWARD

Representative Jay Barnes

The Myrtle Smith Oden Service Award is given to individuals who have worked faithfully in the NAACP
or other civic organizations for the overall betterment of the community.



LIFETIME SERVICE AWARD

Dr. Arnold G. Parks

The Lifetime Service Award is given in recognition of an individual for a lifetime career, dedicated toward the cause of justice, equal opportunity and civil rights for all people.

Awardees and Criteria for Scholarships

Mr. Isaiah Edoho
Ms. Haley Johannpeter
Saundra Allen Good Citizenship Award

Awarded to a Lincoln University student who has demonstrated good citizenship.  The $500 scholarship is given in honor of Mrs. Saundra Allen, an outstanding citizen and teacher who has made significant contributions to the Jefferson City Public School System and the community through her time, resources, and leadership for the course of peace, justice, and equality for all who reside in Jefferson City.

Mr. Gregory McAboy
Lorine F. Knight Minority Education Scholarship

Awarded to a minority student majoring in Education at Lincoln University, who wishes to become a teacher and who demonstrates a need for financial assistance. This $500 scholarship is presented each year at the annual Freedom Fund Dinner and is to be applied toward the recipient’s tuition. The scholarship is given in honor of Dr. Lorine F. Knight, the first female Ph.D. at Lincoln University, a devout, courageous and honest Secretary-Treasurer of the Jefferson City NAACP for 27 years. Dr. William A. Ross, past President of the Jefferson City Branch, underwrote this scholarship for decades.






S. David Mitchell
Associate Professor of Law
University of Missouri

Professor S. David Mitchell earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and Political Science from Brown University in 1991.  Following a brief stint as a paralegal in a large New York law firm, he joined the history department at his high school alma mater, Collegiate School, where he taught U.S. History, South African History, and a course comparing black protest in the Caribbean and the United States entitled “Rebellions, Revolutions and Riots.”  He also served as the Director of Student Diversity, the Sophomore Class Dean, and an Assistant Track Coach. 

In 1997, Professor Mitchell matriculated to the University of Pennsylvania to pursue a dual a degree in the law and sociology.  He would earn a Master of Arts in Sociology in 1999 and a law degree in 2002.  In law school, he served as a member of the Student Ethics and Responsibility Committee, the Jessup International Moot Court Team and Board, the American Inns of Court and the Black Law Students Association.   

After graduating from law school, he served as a law clerk in the District Court of Maryland to the Honorable Andre M. Davis, who was recently elevated to the Fourth Circuit of Appeals.  Professor Mitchell then headed to the University of Colorado at Boulder as a Scholar in Residence in the Department of Sociology.  Two years later, in 2006, he joined the faculty at the University of Missouri, School of Law where he currently teaches courses in both civil and criminal law, was recently awarded tenure.  Professor Mitchell’s engages in an interdisciplinary approach to the study of criminal law where he focuses on felon disenfranchisement, collateral consequences and ex-offender reentry and reintegration. 

Professor Mitchell has been honored for his teaching and service, receiving the Alpha Kappa Delta Award “For Excellence in Teaching and Outstanding Service to the Students of Sociology” at the University of Colorado.  In his time at the University of Missouri, he has received the Gold Chalk Award and a Minority Faculty and Staff Appreciation Award from the Legion of Black Collegians. 

Professor Mitchell is a member of the Boone County Offender Transition Network, a former member of the Board of Directors of the Boone County Community Partnership, and currently on the Board of the Columbia Montessori School.  Professor Mitchell is currently on leave from the university researching ex-offender reentry in Missouri as a Faculty Fellow with the Supreme Court of Missouri.  He is married to Dr. Enid Schatz, an Assistant Professor in the Women and Gender Studies Department at the University of Missouri and has one son, Langston.


OPEN LETTER OF INVITATION 
Dear Friend,
The Jefferson City Branch of the NAACP will host its 48th Annual Freedom Fund Dinner and Silent Auction at the Capitol Plaza Hotel on Friday, November 18, 2011. This is an occasion to reflect upon the past and embrace our future.  We invite you to join us as we celebrate our theme, “How Long? Not Long.”
The Annual Freedom Fund Dinner is our primary fund-raiser to support branch activities and operation expenses. These funds provide high school, college and law school scholarships, access to limited legal information, support for local prison branches as VIC’s (Volunteers in Corrections), officer training, and representative participation at state and national conferences.  In addition, chapter volunteers work with area schools to promote understanding about diversity concerns, and work with the Armed Services on equity issues.  Since this is a volunteer organization, no funds are used for salaries.  This branch requires approximately $10,000 per year and needs a small office.  We would appreciate your support as an attendee, sponsor, and/or benefactor.
Our silent auction and reception start at 6:00 p.m. and dinner follows at 7:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased for $40 individually or as part of an organizational sponsorship. In conjunction with this year’s dinner, we will issue a beautiful souvenir advertisement in the News Tribune to thank our sponsors as well as create permanent posts on our blog and Facebook. The enclosed brochure provides information on purchasing tickets, ads and sponsorships. Tickets will be mailed upon receipt of your check until November 14th , after which tickets will be reserved in your name at the door. Sponsorship tables will be reserved in the name of the sponsoring organization and/or individual.
I look forward to seeing you at the Capitol Plaza Hotel on November 18th  at the 48th  Annual Freedom Fund Dinner. Your participation is truly appreciated.  Please call (573) 230-6424 for tickets.

Yours sincerely,

Nimrod Chapel, Jr.
President
Jefferson City Unit 4064
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Jefferson City NAACP addresses the death penalty & education in Jefferson City

Jefferson City NAACP Agenda for the Fall - 
More information will be added to this post, but please mark your calendar now


 NOVEMBER 21, 2011

November 21st, our speaker will address the death penalty and its implications.  I am Troy Davis.  I am Reggie Clemmons.  I am every nameless faceless person dehumanized by a system of execution that is more predictable by skin color and socioeconomic stats than any other factor.  Please join us at Lincoln University Library at 6 PM for the NAACP General Body Meeting.

Our speaker this month is Tim Cisar - Mr. Cisar lawyer in the Lake of the Ozarks area who has a range of experience, defended death penalty cases and is prepared to deliver an important commentary on the death penalty in Missouri.  http://www.cisarlawfirm.com/profiles.php


Born San Antonio, Texas, February 4, 1957; admitted to bar, 1983, Missouri Preparatory education, University of Notre Dame (B.A., 1979); legal education, St. Louis University (J.D., 1983).  Municipal Judge: Lake Ozark, Missouri, 1985-89; Eldon, Missouri 2003-present.  Member: Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, Camden County (Treasurer, 1984-85) and 26th Judicial Circuit (Miller County Representative) Bar Associations; National College for DUI Defense; The Missouri Bar; Missouri Association of Criminal  Defense Lawyers (Board of Directors, 1996-00; Treasurer 2001; Secretary 2002; Vice-President, 2003); National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers; President of the Missouri Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers for 2004-05; successfully completed the DWI Detection and Standardized Field Sobriety Testing Program put forth by the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration on September 8-10, 2011. 

Also, we are forming a Criminal Justice Committee and would love your support and participation.  Contact jcnaacp@gmail.com.


OCTOBER 
At the October 17th Dr. Brian Mitchell will detail plans for the Jefferson City, MO School District and options available for the public to select from.   Please join us at Lincoln University Library at 6 PM for the NAACP General Body Meeting.

The NAACP has recently released Framework for Providing All Students an Opportunity to Learn.  It is worth reading and sharing.

Also from the school district's website you can see what changes are proposed and related information including JCMO survey results:
High School Facilities & 21st Century Education:  Survey Results A reminder to Key Communicators that we have posted results of initial surveys to determine community understanding and support of potential changes at the 9-12 grade levels.  The initial survey was implemented in May and June as a "stopping off point" to learn what people know, what they hope to see, and what else we need to share with them.  Please visit this link and look in the survey result file at the bottom of the page:  http://www.jcps.k12.mo.us/education/components/docmgr/default.php?sectiondetailid=65788&


Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Can we save Troy Davis? Can we make Justice work for anyone?

In moments of immense sadness, moments that shake the foundation of our faith in the justice system and mankind, adequate words are scarce.

Today, the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles co-signed on the decision to execute Troy Davis.

Despite overwhelming evidence pointing to his innocence -- evidence that prompted former FBI Director William Sessions and more than a million others to write in support of clemency -- Troy's execution is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Wednesday, September 21.

His family has been moved by the efforts of the NAACP and supporters around the world. They have asked us to express their thanks to you personally.

They also asked us to tell you that this is not the hour to give up.

For the past two decades that Troy has been on death row, miracles have interceded at crucial moments. Can you help us make a miracle happen now?

Please stand with Troy and his family. Tell District Attorney Larry Chisolm that he has to intercede:

http://action.naacp.org/Ask-DA-Chisolm-To-Help

Chatham County District Attorney Larry Chisolm is the man who requested the death warrant against Troy Davis. He's the glue that holds the case together and, even after today's news, he remains in a unique position to petition the judge to withdraw the death warrant against Troy. It's a long shot, but it's Troy's best hope.

Please, our last hope is to change the heart of District Attorney Chisolm. Sign today, and we will make sure that every name is hand delivered to his office:

http://action.naacp.org/Ask-DA-Chisolm-To-Help

We will soon reach out to tell you how you and your families and communities can organize gatherings in your hometowns to reflect on Troy's experience, and to offer prayers for his family. But tonight is the time to redouble our efforts, not to back down. Tonight, we hold on to hope.

Please, take one last action and sign the petition today:

http://action.naacp.org/Ask-DA-Chisolm-To-Help

Thanks for all of your support,

Edward Dubose
Georgia State Conference President
NAACP

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Will you act to spare Troy Davis from execution?


Guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

It's the foundation of our justice system, built to serve and protect the wrongly accused. But in the case of Troy Davis, it's a principle that has been defied, ignored and trampled on.

I'm writing to you once more, Nimrod, because Troy's execution is scheduled for next week, and there is simply too much doubt in his case for us to allow this to happen.

A week from today, on Monday, September 19th, Troy has his final hearing in front of the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles. They have the power to halt the scheduled execution and commute Troy's sentence, permanently preventing what could be a wrongful execution.

It is now up to us to make sure the Board hears our voices loud and clear. Send a letter to the Board asking them to grant clemency for Troy Davis, and make sure it's something from the heart:

http://action.naacp.org/write-the-board


Earlier this month I visited the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification State Prison, where Troy Davis awaits his fate.

Troy spoke to me about the pain of life on death row: his uncertain future, the isolation from his family, and the frustration that comes from being unable to tell his side of the story.

It is hard to fathom that our justice system would sentence a man to death when there is so much doubt. Consider this:
  • Seven of the nine original witnesses in Troy's case have recanted or changed their story;
  • One eyewitness testified for the first time in 2010 that he saw his relative, not Davis, shoot Officer MacPhail; and
  • At least 10 individuals have implicated the alternative suspect as the actual perpetrator.
Right now we have two options. We can admit defeat and accept that some things are too big to change. Or we can stand behind our brother, like the NAACP has done for generations, and demand justice.

I, for one, cannot sit idly by as a justice system that is supposed to protect the most vulnerable among us imprisons and executes a man like Troy Davis. And as part of the organization that has led every major civil rights battle for generations, I know you feel the same.

Now is our chance to speak out and save Troy's life. The members of the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles have the power to do this. Write to them and ask for clemency now:

http://action.naacp.org/write-the-board


Together we can save a life.

Ben

Ben Jealous
President and CEO
NAACP

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Establishing a Criminal Justice Committee for All NAACP Units - Will you joint the committee and help the community on this issue?

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is the nation’s oldest, largest and most widely-recognized grassroots based civil rights organization. Formed in 1909 by a multiracial group of progressive thinkers, the NAACP is a nonprofit organization established with the objective of ensuring the political, educational, social, and economic equality of people of color. For over 102 years, the NAACP has challenged this nation to uphold its promise of equal opportunity toward the goal of eliminating racial prejudice and removing all barriers of racial discrimination through democratic processes.
In a process established by the NAACP Constitution, this resolution was adopted by the delegates to the 101st Annual Convention in Kansas City, Missouri, during the legislative session in July, 2010. It was subsequently ratified by the NAACP National Board of Directors at its meeting on October 15, 2010. This resolution is now the policy of the Association, and is “binding on the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee, the Officers, and all units.”


Establishing a Criminal Justice Committee for All NAACP Units


WHEREAS, the NAACP reiterates its commitment for NAACP units to establish subcommittees to solve problems in the community; and


WHEREAS, in 2008 there were an estimated 2.4 million people in United States jails or prisons; and


WHEREAS, African-Americans constitute about 12% of the non-incarcerated residential population, but in 2007 black males comprised 30% and black females 27.8% of the incarcerated population; and


WHEREAS, 1 in 3 African-American males born in 2001 run the risk of serving time in prison or being dead before their 34th birthday; and


WHEREAS, the United States spends $70 billion/year incarcerating people, 6 times more than on higher education; and


WHEREAS, Criminal Justice Committees at the unit level will strengthen families and communities through advocating for a decrease in violence, advancing voter and employment rights of the formerly incarcerated and to downscale prisons while shifting dollars/resources from prisons to schools; and


WHEREAS, the purpose of the Criminal Justice Committee is to advance the Smart and Safe Campaign at the state and local levels by promoting alliances, research, legislation
and initiatives that will reform criminal justice policies and advocate for public safety as a civil right.


THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Board of the NAACP calls on each State Conference and unit to establish Criminal Justice Committees, and to develop Criminal Justice Action Plans that will advance Criminal Justice Strategies at the state and local levels.


Roslyn M. Brock
Chairman
National Board of Directors



Leon Russell 


Benjamin Todd Jealous 
Chairman President & CEO Committee on Resolutions