NAACP Press Release

Jefferson City NAACP Celebrates Courage of #ConcerenedStudent1950 and MO Bd of Curators and Offers Support to Students, Faculty, Staff and Individuals Hurt by or Threatened

Jefferson City, MO – “The courage to stand for equality and justice when others have ignored your concerns is commendable.” said Nimrod Chapel, Jr., President of the Jefferson City Unit of the NAACP. “The same can be said for the MU football team, Coach Gary Pinkle and Athletic Director Rhoades MU faculty and staff, and the Missouri Board of Curators.” Chapel went on to say, “It is not unexpected that there are going to be individuals in the university system and the community at large who are not going to like the actions led by #ConcernedStudent1950. If you look at the history of the Civil Rights Movement, when concessions are made for equality and respect for human dignity, there have always been individuals who feel as though their liberty is being stifled. Here, we have reported threats of violence and reprisals in retaliation for the conduct of students, faculty, staff and the Curators in their efforts to make the University of Missouri a better place for everyone by taking measures to reduce discrimination and address it where it is found.”

The NAACP is a hundred-year-old organization dedicated to promoting and protecting civil rights and dignity for everyone. The organization apologizes that it did not take swift action with regards to the events that transpired but is inspired by the actions of others in the quest to cure injustice. “As the oldest civil rights organization in the United States, it is unfortunate we were not at the forefront of this issue, but the students and concerned members of the University of Missouri have given us all a wake up call – EQUALITY IS FOR EVERYONE AND THE TIME FOR IT IS NOW!”

The NAACP is a leader in addressing and redressing discrimination and harassment. A hotline is being established to report discrimination and harassment. Call 844-NAACPHELP (844-622-2743) if you or someone you know has been or becomes the target of harassment and discrimination or retaliation or reprisal related to the events at MU, we are ready to help. Equality and justice know no color and all are entitled to the help of the organization. For more information, visit www.naacp.org.

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