by Daniel Johnson
September 24, 2024
National NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson said in a statement released by the NAACP on Sept. 19 that it is imperative to stop the schemes of radical extremists to curtail Black voting power by using the ballot.
The NAACP is preparing to spend $20 million to mobilize Black voters across 12 key states for the upcoming presidential election. The sum includes $6 million for local NAACP chapters, $1 million for polling research, and $1.4 million for text bank outreach.
According to NBC News, Arizona, North Carolina, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Georgia will be specifically targeted through a $3 million radio advertising campaign in Black communities, and another $2 million will go towards a mailer campaign aimed at encouraging Black voters in those states to participate in their civic duty.
Although the push from the NAACP is not geared toward a specific candidate, National NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson said in a statement released by the NAACP on Sept. 19 that it is imperative to stop the schemes of radical extremists to curtail Black voting power by using the ballot.
“Radical extremists are working diligently to interfere with our free and fair election process. These agents work in statehouses, counties, and communities across the country and want to do everything in their power to stop people from voting, especially communities of color,” Johnson said in the NAACP’s press release.
Johnson continued, “While the threats against our democracy are present and dangerous, our commitment to making our voices heard is unwavering. Our most important Black job this November — for all of us — is showing up to the ballot box and making our voices heard. The only way to combat these radical extremists is with your vote.”
According to Dominick Whitehead, the Senior Vice President of Campaigns and Mobilization for the NAACP, Project 2025 presents a clear and present danger to strides made by Black folks under a Democratic presidency.
“The Black community has made enormous progress over the last four years, from student debt cancellation to lower healthcare costs. But Project 2025 is threatening it all,” Whitehead warned in the press release.
Whitehead continued, “With our vote, we’ll not only defend the hard-won victories our communities have seen over the last four years, but we will build on them. This election isn’t about who sits in the Oval Office. It’s about which candidate represents policies and priorities that move us forward. And Black Americans are listening.”
The NAACP also announced that it recruited over 100,000 volunteers to engage with 14.5 million Black voters in the battleground states of Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
The Sept. 19 press release follows a Sept. 13 press release during which the NAACP maintained its focus on Black voter outreach. The organization’s leaders, such as Johnson and Phaedra Jackson, the NAACP Vice President of Unit Advocacy and Effectiveness, said that Black voters were the targets of the organization’s ongoing civic engagement program.
Jackson states, “As part of our massive civic engagement program, we’re targeting both frequent and low propensity voters, especially those in densely populated Black communities. Our latest research will not only help us to understand and reach black voters, but will inform GOTV initiatives across the country. The soul of this nation is on the ballot in November. We want Black communities to understand what’s at stake and take action.”
