Economic Development
and The NAACP

According to their Facebook page, "the mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate hatred and racial discrimination." As noted on their website, the "NAACP was founded February 12, 1909, and it is the nation's oldest, largest and most widely recognized grassroots-based civil rights organization."

Even though all people are "Colored" because we're bronzed by the sun, the term "Colored People" has always been applied strictly to Americans of African descent and the original intent of this organization was to fight for their rights. As times changed and integregation rights were acheived, the mission was obviously changed to include everyone, but the word "Colored" remains in its name. Maybe they should change the name to National Association For The Advancement of All People - NAAAP.

Changing the focus has apparently negatively impacted the economic advancement of African Americans. In other words, since this organization no longer focuses on the needs specific to the original target group, then the organization's effectiveness for that group has lessened because their economic problems have been merged into the melting pot that holds all of America's economic problems.

All Americans should be prepared to compete for jobs, business start-up capital, housing, and the like. So, the real question is what's the NAACP doing to promote economic development? Are they doing more than demanding equal opportunities? Have they created any new resources for students, job seekers, entrepreneurs, etc.?

Since the organization is now fighting for the rights of all Americans, what should African Americans be doing to advance themselves as a group as well as individually? Given the stats that show African Americans still have the highest rate of unemployment and are still not bridging the gap by building their own economic resources, maybe another organization with a fresh perspective on this issue needs to be created.