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UPI
32 minutes ago
- Politics
- UPI
NAACP breaks 116-year tradition, won't invite president to annual convention
The NAACP will not invite U.S. President Donald Trump to offer remarks at its annual convention next month. NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson (pictured May 2024 in Washington, D.C.) said Tuesday that Trump is "attacking" democracy and civil rights. File Photo by Al Drago/UPI | License Photo June 17 (UPI) -- The NAACP says it will not invite U.S. President Donald Trump to offer remarks at its annual convention next month in North Carolina in a break with longstanding tradition for the first time in its 116 year history. The group said the sitting president is "attacking" democracy, civil rights and "believes more in the fascist playbook than in the U.S. Constitution." The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, one of the nation's leading and foremost civil rights groups, is slated to see its 116th annual national convention July 12-16 in Charlotte. "For 116 years, the NAACP has invited the sitting president of the United States to address the NAACP National Convention -- regardless of their political party," NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson said Monday in a release. The NAACP, according to Johnson, is a nonpartisan organization that "always welcome those who believe in democracy and the Constitution." In a statement, the civil rights chief said right now "it's clear" that Trump is "attacking" both civl rights and democracy. He pointed out there's a "rich history" of both Republican and Democratic presidents addressing the NAACP convention from Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower to Ronald Reagan, Barack Obama "and beyond." Last July, then-President Joe Biden made his first public appearance right after Trump's first attempted shooting in Butler, Penn., at the NAACP's 115th convention in Las Vegas. Biden told the NAACP's 2024 convention Nevada how the unemployment rate among Black Americans at that time was lower than ever, that the poverty rate among Black children was half of what it was when he entered office in 2021 and that Black-owned small businesses under the Biden administration experienced record growth. On Monday, Johnson cited in his statement the flurry of "unconstitutional executive orders" that flew out of the White House in the weeks after Trump's January 20 inaugural as part reason why he failed the invite test, scores of orders which are currently tied up under judicial review. Some, he said, "oppress voters and undo federal civil rights protections." Trump, Johnson went on to write, believes more in "the fascist playbook" than America's Constitution. "This playbook is radical and un-American." He stated that the president "illegally turned the military on our communities," and he "continually undermines every pillar of our democracy to make himself more powerful and to personally benefit from the U.S. government." However, the convention's intended to be a "safe space for all people regardless of political ideology -- who believe in multiracial democracy and the ideal of building a more perfect union," Johnson continued. "To that end, the NAACP has made the decision to break with tradition and not invite Donald Trump or J.D. Vance this year," Johnson concluded, adding his belief that the Trump administration "does not respect the Constitution or the rule of law." The NAACP's annual convention, Johnson says, has always been a place where people across the United States unite to "map out our advocacy" and mobilization strategies in order to advance an agenda "for all" based on ideals of civil rights and democracy. "It would be a waste of our time and energy to give a platform to fascism, which would be unacceptable," the NAACP head wrote.
USA Today
9 hours ago
- Politics
- USA Today
NAACP won't invite Trump to convention, breaking a 116-year tradition
NAACP won't invite Trump to convention, breaking a 116-year tradition NAACP won't invite Trump or Vance to convention, breaking a 116-year tradition Show Caption Hide Caption President Trump urges evacuation of Iran's capital of Tehran "They should've done the deal." President Donald Trump called for the evacuation of Iran's capital of Tehran. For the first time in 116 years, the sitting president of the United States will not be invited to the NAACP National Convention NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson announced June 16. The National Convention is July 12-16 in Charlotte. "We're nonpartisan and always welcome those who believe in democracy and the Constitution," Johnson said in a statement. "But right now, it's clear — Donald Trump is attacking our democracy and our civil rights." Trump and the NAACP clashed repeatedly during his first term, some of which resulted in legal fights. Trump declined to speak at the NAACP as a presidential nominee in 2016, or as president in 2017, 2018, or 2019. White House spokesperson Harrison Fields dismissed the break with tradition in a statement. 'The NAACP isn't advancing anything but hate and division, while the President is focused on uniting our country, improving our economy, securing our borders, and establishing peace across the globe. This is the same vision for America that a record number of Black Americans supported in the resounding reelection of President Trump," Fields said in a statement. Break with tradition In the statement, Johnson said Trump "believes more in the fascist playbook than in the U.S. Constitution. This playbook is radical and un-American." He pointed to executive orders Johnson said are meant to oppress voters and undo civil rights and using the military against American citizens. Johnson said in the statement that the convention is meant as a safe space where people can map out multi-racial advocacy that advances civil rights and democracy for all. "To that end, the NAACP has made the decision to break with tradition and not invite Donald Trump or J.D. Vance this year. This administration does not respect the Constitution or the rule of law. It would be a waste of our time and energy to give a platform to fascism, which would be unacceptable," he said.
