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NAACP 100th Anniversary highlights ‘Legislative Day On The Hill”

State Conf. delegation gathers on state capitol steps
Tenn. NAACP State Conference Delegates to Legislative Day On The Hill 2009

The NAACP, Clarksville Branch #5582, participated in the Annual NAACP Legislative Day On the Hill. This year’s observance  celebrates the NAACP’s 100th Anniversary as branch delegates from across the state converged on the State Capitol and Legislative Plaza to confer with state legislators and sit in on committee meetings. Legislative officials came to the House Chambers to greet, welcome and acknowledge the annual event and the organization’s historic anniversary. Over 250-plus delegates and supporters filled the House of Representatives Chambers and visitors galleries to participate in and document the historic event.

House Speaker Kent Williams
Rep. Kent Williams, R-Carter County, Speaker of the House welcomes delegates to House Chambers

The day’s agenda was presided over by Tennessee State NAACP Conference President Gloria Sweet-Love. Officers of the State Conference and staff registered delegates and directed the day’s events and training. State government officials and officers welcomed the assembled delegates with warm accolades and recognition of the organization’s anniversary. Speaker of the House Kent Williams was the first state official to render greetings and welcome to the assembled representatives. He informed the group that Rep. Joe Armstrong had just returned to Memphis because his father had suffered a heart attack. The Speaker said he himself would be Memphis in the coming week to meet with local officials there. He declared that “Tennessee is not a red state or a blue state. I do not represent any one part of the state. We are one state.”

Rep. Larry Turner, Secretary of the Democratic Caucus, urged the delegates to meet with their respective legislators and they them know they are here to represent all the people. I hope you will call and write them and let them know that.”

Hardaman County Youth/College Delegation '09
Hardaman County NAACP Youth/College Delegation Contingent

Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey next addressed the assemblage and acknowledged the significance of the NAACP’s legacy and the achievement of its 100th anniversary. He linked that achievement with he himself being the first Republican Lt. Governor in Tennessee in 140 years. Youth and College State Conference President Monet Brown welcomed the youth contingent of the delegates to the hollowed halls of state government. Of the three hundred fifty-plus assemblage, fully one-third were youth/college-aged members and supporters.

Other speakers who addressed the assemblage included State Representative John D. DeBerry, Chair of the Tennessee Black Caucus, declared that “America is stronger because of the NAACP.’ He  told the group that, “God provides. We must possess, and that “the NAACP is paramount to our passing our pride onto our young people.” He reminded the group, “NAACP will be an effective leadership entity” in the twenty-first century.

Beverly Watts, Director of the Tennessee Human Rights Commission, said the commission looks forward to working with the NAACP. She told delegates that a bill had just been introduced to extend the commission for ten years. She asked delegates to lobby their respective legislators to support this extension.

A. J. Stallings, Political Director for the AFL-CIO, gave special thanks to the Tennessee State NAACP Conference and its Labor and Industry Director, Marilyn Brown. Jerry Lee, President of the AFL-CIO Labor Counci, acknowledged the assistance and support the AFL-CIO has received from the NAACP over the past years in struggles to improve standards and opportunities for Tennessee workers.

Joseph Clark Jr.,Natl Staff Council, AFL-CIO
Joseph Clark Jr., Natl Staff Council, AFL-CIO

Joseph Clark, Jr., National Staff Council of the AFL-CIO, spoke of the effort to gather two thousand letters from average Tennesseans to be delivered to Tennessee Senator Bob Corker, letting him know that his declared opposition to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is not the sentiment or will of his constituents. Senator Corker had declared that he felt the economic recession’s downturn wasn’t as severe as characterized by President Obama and didn’t warrant any rash actions as such those being proposed by President Obama. He had specifically spoken out against federal assistance the automotive industry despite have significant automotive enterprises in eastern and middle Tennessee, which would be directly affected by any drastic shakeout of the Big Three Automotive Giants of the American automotive industry. Clark told the delegates that  there would be an action calling attention to the plight of working people in Tennessee. “This is a time we have to work collectively.”

Stacy Rector, Exec. Director, TCASK
Pastor Stacy Rector, Exec. Director, TCASK

Stacy Rector, executive director of Tennessee Coalition Against State Killing (TCASK), came to the podium as well. Acknowledging the history of the NAACP and its being founded to halt lynching of Black men in the South, she spoke of TCASK’s work to repeal the death penalty in Tennessee.

Rector pointed out that studies have shown that the Tennessee death penalty law lacks fairness, cost benefit on return, and most importantly, it lacks accuracy. TCASK seeks a moratorium on the death penalty in Tennessee.

Rep. Johnnie Shaw, past Chair Tenn. Black Caucus
Rep. Johnnie Shaw, past Chair Tenn. Black Caucus greets delegates

Rep. Johnnie W. Shaw, past Chair of the Tennessee Black Caucus, greeted the delegates and thanked them for coming to Legislative Plaza. He told the delegates to call their congressional leaders and tell them to support the stimulus plan. “We need that money. We need it.” He has introduced a bill to modify the current laws that restore voting rights to ex-felons. Under his proposal, convictions would be expunged for lesser serious crimes. He also has a bill that supports small minority businesses by removing the steep bonding issues that currently blocks small enterprises from pursuing larger contracting opportunities. The legislation would waive those bonding issues for small business. He stated that, “The State of Tennessee should do business with its citizens.”

President Sweet-Love outlined the Tennessee NAACP State Conference Priorities:

  1. Repeal Work At Will laws.
  2. Increase minimum wage to a Liveable Wage level.
  3. Health Care for all, colo-rectal cancer screenings must be covered by insurance plans.
  4. Moratorium on the death penalty.
  5. Make Environmental Justice an issue in Tennessee.
  6. Revise HOPE scholarship retention standards.
  7. Eliminate requirement of child support status verification from ex-felon voter restoration law.
  8. Oppose Auto Title Predatory Loans.
Hardaman County Mayor Will Spencer and State Conference President Gloria Sweet-Love

President Sweet-Love introduced the youngest delegate, young Master Caleb Bradford, four -years-old, an NAACP member since he was six-weeks-old, and her grandson. She also introduced Shelby County Mayor Will Spencer to the delegates. Spencer is only the second African American to be elected county mayor in Tennessee. Memphis Branch Executive Director Johnnie Turner instructed the delegates on how to conduct their meeting with legislators.

Conference delegates seated in TN House Chambers
Conference delegates seated in TN House Chambers

Rep. Joe Towns brought greetings to the delegates and said, “It’s good to see you here in Nashville. We have to address issues of ex-felon reintroduction into society. Getting a high school diploma or GED and securing employment are paramount issues to successful re-integration into society as productive members of society.” Rep. Towns urged the delegates to attend a  rally calling for “Support for Working Families in Tennessee.” The conference then recessed to allow the delegates to begin their rounds of meetings with legislators and have lunch.

The Clarksville Branch delegation had previously contacted all members of the Montgomery County Legislative Delegation to arrange appointments. Senator Tim Barnes and Representative Joe Pitts both  confirmed the appointments. However Representatives  Curtis Johnson and Phillip Johnson failed to acknowledge the communications and made no provision for any appointments.  Neither were  available for even a brief meeting. Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey assured all conference delegates that their respective representatives were well aware of their presence on the Hill and would be available to meet with them.

Sen. Barnes meets Clarksville Branch delegation

In meetings with Rep. Pitts and Senator Barnes, the delegation discussed their position on (1) the minimum wage become a livable wage, (2) health care for all (universal health care), (3) moratorium/repeal of the death penalty, (4) increasing the number of minority students maintaining their HOPE scholarships, (5) assertive application and enforcement of environmental justice, (6) reform of predatory auto title loans in Tennessee, and (7) state recognition of Tennessee Native Americans. These issues were discussed in addition to the priorities raised in the House Chambers.

The Clarksville delegation additionally sat in on two committee meetings and toured Legislative Plaza to become familiar with its accommodations and offices.  Following these activities, the delegation returned to the House Chambers for the afternoon session which was to feature an address by Governor Bredesen.

TN Gov. Phil Bredesen with State Conf. Pres. Gloria Sweet-Love
TN Gov. Phil Bredesen with State Conf. Pres. Gloria Sweet-Love

President Sweet-Love reconvened the conference for the afternoon session and introduced the governor. Gov. Bredesen gave the delegates a warm welcome, stating, “It’s always good to the people in their house.” In his address, he repeated several primary points of his “State of the State” speech. Economic development and growth are key to the stability and future growth of this state. This will be the means whereby the people of Tennessee will best anchor their individual prosperity and that of the state as a whole. “The importance of higher education has never been more obvious. There is an undeniable need for more Tennesseans to have college diplomas. ” As the location of Hemlock Semiconductor in Tennessee signals the state ‘s shift into a leading position  in the ‘Green Technology’ industry, higher education degrees will be paramount for our people to secure the advantages this new technology will present.

TN Gov. Bredesen and the TN Conf. & Branch Presidents celebrate the NAACP's 100th Anniversary
TN Gov. Bredesen and the TN Conf. & Branch Presidents celebrate the NAACP's 100th Anniversary

Following the governor’s address, President Sweet-love called for all branch presidents to assemble in the Capitol Legislative Lobby to pose with the governor and the 100th Anniversary cake. Then the entire delgation gathered on the western steps of the capitol for the annual “Day on the Hill” commemoration group picture. After the picture taking, delegates returned to Legislative Lobby for refreshments and cake, thus concluding the 2009 Tennessee NAACP Legislative Day On The Hill.

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