By Anna Johnson / Times-News
Published: Friday, June 20, 2014 at 22:40 PM
“Forward together, not one step back.
This was the rallying call – sprinkled in with a few amens and hymnal songs – Friday night at the Elon Community Church United Church of Christ for the Alamance County NAACP kick-off meeting for its Freedom Summer program.
To mark the 50th Anniversary of the Mississippi Freedom Summer, the NC NAACP State Conference and Youth and College Division will lead a North Carolina Moral Freedom Summer, focusing on the Forward Together Moral Movement and placing volunteers within communities to support local work and “coordinate a long-term, issue-based voter empowerment campaign.”
Brianna Pearson, who lives in Guilford County, will be working with the local NAACP chapter throughout the summer focused, she said, on voter empowerment and education.
“I want to say how grateful I am for every one of you,” she said. “I count it as a privilege and an honor.”
Several speakers, including, Delois Sellars retold the history of the Mississippi Freedom Summer, and of the men and women who died, were beaten and bombed during the original movement.
“We are going to be even more successful this year and in the years to follow,” she said. “We know what is going on in Raleigh and it’s no secret in what they are trying to do. Suppress our votes and keep our mouths shut. We will not allow it.”
Madison Kimrey, 12, a local activist who garnered national headlines last year, said would not stand by when “voter suppression” laws were passed in the General Assembly.
She was tired, she said, of state politicians dismissing her and her cohorts.
Faiger Blackwell II, another young person, said it was members of the young community who will lay the next foundation and build on what has already been accomplished.
Alamance NAACP Political Action Chairman Noah Read said they will host weekly meetings as part of the Freedom Summer event and people can find out more information by emailing him at attentionalamance@gmail.com”.
Alamance NAACP Blog 