 "Photo: Morgan Crutchfield/Echo staff photographer")
It might come as a surprise to some, but N.C. Central University has long struggled to maintain an active student chapter of the NAACP, or National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
It might come as an even greater surprise that some NCCU students haven't any idea of what NAACP stands for.
Asked if she knew anything about the NAACP, biology freshman Deanna Davis said simply, "no."
When computer science sophomore Borne Sanders was asked what the NAACP stood for, he answered: "The National Association of .... I'm done."
That's a situation that current chapter president Desiree Parker, a political science and public administration junior, is determined to change.
Parker said she has been inspired to energize NCCU's NAACP chapter by her family and by a fall 2010 NAACP internship in Durham taken under political science associate professor Jarvis Hall.
"My parents taught me to do the right thing and to believe in myself — no matter if you're standing alone," said Parker, explaining her political activism.
During her internship, Parker took calls from citizens across the state describing their issues and problems.
Parker said she wants to see an active and vibrant NAACP chapter at NCCU, and she has tripled NCCU's NAACP membership to 73.
Parker spearheaded the Oct. 16 student trip to the MLK Memorial dedication by writing a $2,500 funding proposal to the Office of Student Affairs.
In November, the group will hold a meet-and-greet in the Alfonso Elder Student Union.
They also are planing a trip to HK on J, or Historic Thousands on Jones Street, an annual progressive rally held in Raleigh.
"We as a people need to actively engage our brothers and sisters to help fight some of these issues that we are facing," said Parker.
"Our parents, grandparents, mothers, fathers, and ancestors have paved the way for us to speak freely," she said.
"We should all take this opportunity and continue the legacy for the next generation of students."
There are more than 400 NAACP youth and college chapters, according to the association's website. NCCU's NAACP previous president, history and secondary education senior Nicholas Green, is currently president of the NAACP's N.C. Youth and College Division.
The NAACP was founded by a group of black and white liberals and intellectuals in 1909 after a wave of lynchings across the United States and a 1908 race riot in Springfield, Ill.
Today the association has about 500,000 members. Its membership peaked in 1964 at 625,000.
Among other things the association's mission is "To ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of all citizens," and "To achieve equality of rights and eliminate race prejudice among the citizens of the United States."
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