This past weekend, Hopkins hosted a two-day conference recognizing and celebrating the achievements of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Titled "The Civil Rights Century: The NAACP at 100," the conference was one of the first events in the centennial celebration of the historic organization. The keynote speaker for the event was Kweisi Mfume, Baltimore native and former president and CEO of the NAACP.
The conference began on Friday night in Shriver Hall with opening remarks by Ben Vinson, director of the Center for Africana Studies at Hopkins. He described the event as a "weekend of activities and learning," that would give the Baltimore community a chance to appreciate the "resounding voice" of the NAACP.
Following Vinson's remarks was a performance by the Baltimore City College Gospel Choir, whose message of hope set the tone for the rest of the weekend's activities, including Mfume's speech, which followed.
Before Mfume took the helm at the NAACP from 1996 to 2004, he received a degree from Hopkins and was a member of the House of Representatives. However, earlier in his life, he was a high school dropout involved in a gang. In his address he drew from many of his experiences and had much to offer the audience about the rich legacy of the NAACP.
Following his prepared remarks, Mfume candidly answered many of the audience's questions. The crowd asked him questions on topics such as the role of the NAACP in politics today, the NAACP's ability to continue to effect change in United States and the individual's ability to make an immediate difference in a community. Mfume offered much advice to the audience. His simplest yet most resounding piece of advice to the crowd was to stay continually involved in politics by voting.
Saturday's proceedings took place in Charles Commons and were divided between a number of panel discussions and another keynote address. There was also an opportunity for those with recollections of the NAACP or the Civil Rights Movement to record their stories, as part of an oral history project.
The various panels addressed issues like women and the NAACP and the role of the NAACP in the global civil rights struggle. These panels were designed to teach but also to allow participants to interact and contribute to the discussions.
Often, those involved in the panel discussions would continue to share ideas and stories well after the panels were completed.
Saturday's keynote speaker, David Levering Lewis, biographer of W. E. B. Du Bois and author of a myriad of other texts, spoke about the NAACP's history and Du Bois's impact on the civil rights movement.
Both Lewis and Mfume were emphatic about the positive impact the NAACP has had on the civil rights movement.
"America has fallen short [in the fight for civil rights] in ways that continue to haunt us," Mfume said. However, "the NAACP has always been at the forefront of the fight."
One sentiment and point consistently emphasized throughout the conference was avoiding complacency.
In light of Barack Obama's presidential victory, it would appear that racial barriers are breaking down.
However, the various speakers and panel leaders at the conference, who included university professors and professionals, were all quick to warn the public about the dangers of sitting back and enjoying victory.
According to Vinson, there should be "applause for a great effort," by both Obama and blacks everywhere, but Obama's successes in the political and social arenas do not mean racial problems will simply disappear. He and Mfume both cited rampant drug use, high dropout rates and high numbers of black men in prisons as proof that the NAACP's work is far from complete.
Another main point of the conference was to emphasize that the NAACP is no longer just an organization for blacks. Mfume in particular, stated that it has become an organization that fights on the behalf of all minorities, not just the black population. This change is important as society moves into the 21st century, he said.
