NAACP celebrates centennial

The Coffee County Branch of the NAACP is planning its Freedom Fund Banquet to celebrate 100 years in pursuit of equality for all people.
The event, in its second year, begins at 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 20, at the Enterprise Ozark Community College Student Center.
The theme this year is “Celebrating 100 years of Fighting for Freedom and Equality for All People,” said local NAACP branch President Eleanor Green. “The mission of the NAACP is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons.”
Founded on Feb. 12, 1909, the NAACP is the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization.
“There is a misconception that NAACP is only an organization for blacks,” Green said, noting that seven white people were among the 10 original founders. “It is an organization that represents all people.”
The NAACP’s principal objective, said Green, is to ensure political, educational, social and economic equality for all minority groups and to eliminate race prejudice.
Alethea Bonello, the NAACP’s Southeast Region field organizer, will be keynote speaker at the event. Five local people will also be honored for outstanding contributions to their community.
Honorees will be former New Brockton Mayor and retired educator Charles Cole, evangelist Ruby Ellison, civic leader and church volunteer Mary Merritt, NAACP Third Vice President The Rev. Fred Flowers and co-author of the book “Waging the War on Motor Neuron Diseases”, Dr. Page Jones.
The executive board of directors of the Coffee County NAACP branch consists of First Vice President Robert Hooks, Second Vice President Gladys Yelverton, Third Vice President Fred Flowers, Secretary Meria Nelson, Assistant Secretary Cal Donnia Howard, Treasurer Samuel Reynolds and Assistant Treasurer Perry Stinson.
The NAACP’s national headquarters is in New York City and July 11-17 the group’s national convention celebrating the centennial will be held there.