NAACP

The NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) strives to ensure that all people are represented and have equal rights in American society and culture, regardless of race. The nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization, the group works via advocacy, education, and research, and it publishes the magazine Crisis and a quarterly newsletter The NAACP Advocate. It registers African Americans to vote, encourages academic achievement among high school students, and works with inmates to promote education and reduce recidivism. Sources of support include contributions and membership dues. The NAACP was founded in 1909 by a group that included W.E.B. Du Bois and Ida B. Wells-Barnett.

Benjamin Jealous became president and CEO of the association in September 2008. Previously president of San Francisco-based Rosenberg Foundation, Jealous has logged several years of experience at Amnesty International (directing its US Domestic Human Rights program) and the National Newspaper Publishers Association (as well as the Jackson Advocate).