On February 12th, 1909, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was founded as a response to the ongoing violence, racism, and discrimination Black Americans were facing. It was particularly in response to the Springfield Race Riot of 1908 in Springfield, Illinois. Activist came together to create the organization, including W.E.B. DuBois and Ida B. Wells. Their goal was to fight for civil rights through advocacy, public awareness, and legal challenges. Over time, the NAACP became one of the largest and most influential organizations in the fight against segregation, voter suppression, racism, discrimination, and injustice in the United States.
The Springfield Race Riot of 1908 took place on August 14th, 1908, it was a violent attack on the Black residents in Springfield, Illinois. The residents were attacked by white mobs after false accusations that two Black men assaulted white women. The white mobs burned down homes and businesses, they also lynched Black men. It was so bad that the Illinois National Guard had to intervene, unfortunately it was too late for many Black families, some left homeless, or without their businesses, and others left without family members.
Springfield, Illinois was Abraham Lincoln’s hometown, many believed it was a place of racial equality and progress, but it proved that racism and violence were not just a southern issue but also in the North as well. Many were outraged after the attacks leading to the direct founding on the NAACP. By the time the NAACP was founded DuBois was already considered to be one of the most influential Black people of that time. He was a vocal critic of racial discrimination, particularly in opposing Booker T. Washington’s philosophies. DuBois was the only Black founding member among the NAACP’s original group, most of the group were white progressives. He was the editor of The Crisis, the NAACP’s official publication.
Dubois was a critical pieced in the founding of the NAACP, but he often found himself at odds with the organization’s white leadership. They favored a slow and legalistic approach over mass activism. Ida B. Wells was a well-known journalist and anti-lynching activist before the NAACP’s founding. She spent years documenting lynchings across the South, calling them acts of racial terrorism rather than just responses to crimes. She was sidelined in the organization’s leadership because of gender politics within the movement. Both DuBois and Wells contributed greatly to the foundation of the NAACP.
As of February 2025, the NAACP has over 2,000 chapters across the United States. The chapters are organized into seven regions, each region includes multiple states. Still staying true to the original work of effectively addressing local and regional civil rights issues. There are 600 youth councils, high school chapters, and college chapters, engaging over 25,000 young people under the age of 25. The NAACP has a significant impact in urban and rural communities nationwide.
