NAACP Elects New President, Will Assume More Political Non-Profit Tax Status

[alp227]

Source: WABE

The NAACP — which at 108 years old must balance both its storied legacy as the nation’s oldest civil rights group and the potential for irrelevance amid a fresh wave of racial justice groups born of social media such as Black Lives Matter — decided to shake things up a bit on Saturday.

The organization announced its new president and CEO and its intention to alter its tax status to a non-profit category that permits more aggressive political lobbying.

Forty-nine-year-old Derrick Johnson is familiar not only with the organization but also with the post he was unanimously elected to Saturday for a three-year term. Johnson had served as interim president and CEO since July.

In February, he had been elected as vice-chairman of the board of directors. Before that, he served as state president of the Mississippi State Conference of the NAACP.

Read more: https://www.wabe.org/naacp-elects-new-president-will-assume-more-political-non-profit-tax-status/

[Iliyah]

1. Let's call it what is "blocking votes"

[BumRushDaShow]

2. Here is a significant part from the link in the OP article

... particularly the bolded section and underlined portion -

During a phone call with reporters, Johnson also said the NAACP’s national office would soon transition from the 501(c)3 non-profit status it currently holds to become a 501(c)4.

The change will lift significant restrictions on the NAACP’s ability to engage in political lobbying. IRS rules permit political actions by 501(c)4 groups, though not as their “primary activity.”

Speaking with reporters, Johnson said the decision was in line with one of his organization’s top priorities now: promoting candidates and issues in local and Congressional elections ahead of next year’s midterms. He added that the change would also allow the NAACP to speak to the needs to African-Americans across the country in an increasingly political climate.

The NAACP said in a statement that it chose Johnson believing he could help the organization reinvent itself to more vigorously respond to “new threats to communities of color emerging daily and attacks on our democracy.”

https://www.wabe.org/naacp-elects-new-president-will-assume-more-political-non-profit-tax-status/

You have the so-called "solid red south" that has states with black populations ranging from 20% to near 40% (Mississippi) of the entire state population, yet these states have essentially left POC in a state of PTSD and unable or unwilling to change the political environment. I know there is a shared "cultural" aspect among southerners, no matter what race. But there comes a time when enough is enough, and I think the whole Confederate flag/memorial issue is a harbinger of some folks waking up and the NAACP needs to be there spearheading that. And this means getting more POC into the state legislatures there in proportion to their population and that will have a direct impact on what happens with the ability to vote in the future (including redistricting, etc).