The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) expects more than eight thousand members, delegates and visitors at its 95th annual convention at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, July 10-15, 2004.
Speakers
Prominent speakers include: U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen G. Breyer, Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell, Senators John Kerry (D., Mass) and Rick Santorum (R.,Pa.), Philadelphia Mayor John Street, Bishop Vashti McKenzie, Harvard Law Professor Charles Ogletree and Miss America 2004, Erica Dunlap.
Leadership Comments
Kweisi Mfume, NAACP President & CEO, said: "As we launch our 95th annual convention in Philadelphia, we are reminded of our rights and responsibilities as citizens. In this election year, the NAACP launches its own race: a race to economic opportunity, improved healthcare coverage, education for all students, and a race to turn out voters. We are both proud and excited to once again lead this convention."
Julian Bond, Chair, NAACP National Board of Directors said: "Our main focus will be on mobilizing the enormous self-help power of minority communities - at registration offices now and polling places in the fall, we will expend every effort to elect candidates supportive of civil rights."
NAACP Continuing Legal Education Seminar
The convention will host the NAACP Continuing Legal Education (CLE) seminar, with adult and youth workshops offering current tips and trends from industry leaders on NAACP legislative agenda/strategy, economic development, public accommodations, predatory lending, voting rights and empowerment, international human rights law, criminal justice, and a special lecture from Justice Breyer during the Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr. Memorial Luncheon.
NAACP Program Information Exchange Center
For the fifth consecutive year, the convention will host the NAACP Program Information Exchange Center (IEC), which focuses on the Association’s programs, services and collaborative relationships, while also showcasing its rich history and exciting future. The center, themed this year, "Freedom’s Road," will be lined with streets named after Spingarn medalists, and will have more than 100 exhibitors.
IEC exhibit highlights include: NAACP Voter City USA; an historical display honors the 50th Anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education; the NAACP Economic Development Center, a one-stop venue for economic training and advocacy; the NAACP Military Pavilion, highlights the U.S. Air Force, this year’s honored service, and award recipients; the unveiling of wax figures of civil rights leaders NAACP co-founder Walter White, and Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall; and the NAACP Job Fair, scheduled for July 13 and 14, which expects more than 3,000 attendees and 100 employers.