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To recognize February as Black History Month in the City of Columbus and to celebrate the civil rights contributions of the NAACP and the strides it has made to protect the political, educational, social, and economic rights of all
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WHEREAS, Black History Month, which originally started as Negro History Week, is celebrated during the month of February and dates back to 1926 when Dr. Carter G. Woodson set aside a special period to recognize the heritage and achievements of African Americans; and
WHEREAS, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, NAACP was founded on February 12th 1909 and is universally recognized as the nation’s oldest, largest grassroots-based civil rights organization with more than a half of a million members and supporters around the world; and
WHEREAS, The NAACP was formed in response to the horrific lynching that took place during the early 1900's, especially the month long race riot which occurred in the capital and resting place of President Abraham Lincoln, in Springfield, Illinois - during this August through September rampage of 1908 - black and Jewish businesses and properties were burned, black citizens were beaten, lynched, and forced out of their homes into hiding; and
WHEREAS, The Great Depression of the 1930’s influenced the NAACP to begin to focus on economic justice; and the Civil Rights Era was a key time for the NAACP legal defense team - they spearheaded the passage of the Civil Rights Acts of 1957, 1964, 1968, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965; they also won a number of key desegregation cases, including the landmark Brown vs. Board of Topeka case of 1954 and the “All Deliberate Speed Desegregation Brown Order of 1955” - in Columbus the local NAACP's advocacy on this issue continued for more than 20 years - the order to desegregate Columbus City Schools was not issued until March 8, 1977, however the district continued to oppose this until the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Judge Robert...
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