NAACP: 100 years of service

‘ ‘ ‘ The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People was founded 100 years ago… ‘ ‘ ‘ The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People was founded 100 years ago today, and its century of contributions are visible right here in Pittsburgh. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ With its history rooted in the procurement of equality and civil rights for all people, the organization continues its work with one of the strongest legacies in black history. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ But the NAACP changed more than just black history. It helped to restructure the frame of American society. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘People have viewed [the NAACP] as an African-American organization, and while it has led the charge for civil rights in America, in doing so, it helped America fulfill its mission of being a better country,’ said Larry Davis, dean of Pitt’s School of Social Work. ‘Where would America be if not for all of the civil rights struggles?” ‘ ‘ Through partnerships with other local and national grassroots organizations, the NAACP is most famous for working, during a time when racial hostilities infuriated the country, to amass resources and support to change discriminatory laws and practices. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ In Pittsburgh, some of the most pressing issues, like fair housing and equal opportunity employment, were tackled in large part by the NAACP. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘During the late 1960s, when the civil rights movement was at its peak, the Pittsburgh NAACP leadership partnered effectively with the Black Action Society in pursuit of these changes,’ said Pitt professor Jack Daniel. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ The group organized marches to encourage Pittsburgh organizations, such as U.S. Steel, Duquesne Light and Pitt, to hire black employees and give them management positions. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ The marches, said history professor Laurence Glasco, were mostly peaceful ‘mdash; at least until 1968, when Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘The NAACP maintained a remarkable degree of self-discipline,’ said Glasco. ‘[The marches] could’ve easily escalated into violence, but that would have distracted from the purpose.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ Glasco said that the peaceful nature of the NAACP activities in Pittsburgh can in part be attributed to the sympathetic character of the city’s white leadership, especially from Mayor David L. Lawrence, in whose memory Pitt’s David Lawrence Hall is named. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ The overall tone in Pittsburgh was not so much about black vs. white, with one winner and one loser, but more of an understanding that the goal was to make the United States better, said Glasco. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ In 1968, however, the city did erupt. King’s assassination rocked the country, and Pittsburgh fell to the trend of enraged rioting. It left the city in a daze of uncertainty. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘1969 was a very depressing time,’ said Glasco. ‘People saw that the rioting and the violence had been a huge mistake, that all they did was destroy. People were nervous and unhappy.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ As the city regained composure, the University of Pittsburgh continued its own progressive work. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ Inspired by the NAACP and other local civil rights organizations, like the Urban League, Pitt established the department of black community education research and development, now the Africana studies department. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ The department worked to bring black faculty members and students to the University. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ David Epperson, a Pitt professor and dean of social work for 30 years, was born and raised in Pittsburgh. But when he first came to Pitt as an undergraduate, there was not a single black faculty member, he said. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ Now he holds his master’s and doctorate degrees from Pitt, and civil rights are a family affair. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ Epperson and his wife are lifetime members of the NAACP, and for 10 years Epperson served as the chairman of the board for the Urban League in Pittsburgh. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ Epperson’s youngest daughter, Lia Beth, is married to the current president of the NAACP, Benjamin Todd Jealous. The two met while interning for the NAACP in New York, Epperson said. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘My children were a party to our discussions at the dinner table every night, so they knew about the problems,’ said Epperson. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ Many of the problems they discussed then continue to exist today, although in less obvious ways, he said. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘There are still miles to go with progress, there are still discriminatory practices that people may have. People may still be unwilling for people of color to move in to certain neighborhoods and to apply for and receive certain jobs,’ said Epperson. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ Epperson’s years of civil rights work influenced Pitt. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ In 2002, Pitt established the Center on Race and Social Problems through its School of Social Work. It is the only center of its kind in the country studying the effects of race and ethnicity on American life. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ The establishment of a center that studies current racial issues might seem progressive to some, but its existence highlights the need for understanding the history of the civil rights movement. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ But as one of the first black professors at Pitt, Glasco sees a declining trend in black studies. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ During what he calls ‘the revolution,’ when people signed their letters, ‘Yours, in the struggle,’ Glasco said, it was impossible to keep some books, like ‘The Autobiography of Malcolm X,’ in the library, because they would always be stolen. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ The majority of his students read the book on their own, because they were aware that they were living in historic times, said Glasco. Now, however, students are less aware of that history. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ When Glasco taught his black history survey course for the first time, there were about 200 students, and ‘both sides of the classroom, in David Lawrence, had to be opened up,’ he said. Now, his course on the history of black Pittsburgh has about 40 students. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ It is important that black people, and Americans in general, remember the struggle, though, he said. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘[Students today] are standing on the shoulders of many of the heroes of the NAACP. They got here because people marched and protested, lost their lives and suffered insults to make the liberties we have now possible,’ said Davis. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ In addition to a year-long lineup of celebratory events, the NAACP will issue ‘a major statement about the future of the organization and its continuing role in American society, said Epperson, who thought the statement would come out in the next few weeks.