The Chapel Hill-Carrboro branch of the NAACP will celebrate its 75th anniversary in October. The branch is planning several events during that month to commemorate its founding, and announced a tentative schedule on Tuesday.

On October 8, the branch will host an Umoja (the Swahili word for “unity”) Read-In, which will “celebrate the culture, cuisine and literature of the African Diaspora.” The branch will lead a walk and bike ride on October 15 from Lincoln Center in Chapel Hill to the Hargraves Community Center, which will pass several of the town’s Black historical sights. According to the branch’s website, the walk/ride will feature “insightful storytelling” and “heartfelt singing.”

The branch’s 75th Anniversary Gala will be held the next week, October 22. UNC men’s basketball legend Phil Ford will host the event, and local band Liquid Pleasure will provide music. The branch’s official Founding Day celebration is the next day, October 23.

“Marking this 75th Anniversary allows us to acknowledge and honor the efforts of those who endured Jim Crow and the battle for Civil Rights in our community,” Chapel Hill-Carrboro NAACP President Dawna Jones said. “Their sacrifices created opportunities for us, and we are grateful. It’s also a time to set an agenda to combat inequalities of opportunity existing today. The NAACP mission remains relevant, and we are resolute in our commitment to continue the legacy.”

Carol Woods, UNC Health and Grubb Properties are sponsoring the events. For more information on the month-long celebration, click here.

 

Featured image via The Daily Tar Heel/Trevor Holman


Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our biweekly newsletter.