Our Focus

  • The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and discrimination.

  • The vision of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure a society in which all individuals have equal rights and there is no racial hatred or racial discrimination.

  • The following statement of objectives is found on the first page of the NAACP Constitution – the principal objectives of the Association shall be:

    • To ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of all citizens.

    •To achieve equality of rights and eliminate racial prejudice among the citizens of the United States.

    • To remove all barriers of racial discrimination through democratic processes

    • To seek enactment and enforcement of federal, state, and local laws securing civil rights.

    •To inform the public of the adverse effects of racial discrimination and to seek its elimination.

    • To educate persons as to their constitutional rights and to take all lawful action to secure the exercise thereof, and to take any other lawful action in furtherance of these objectives, consistent with the NAACP’s Articles of Incorporation and this Constitution.

President's Welcome

Thank you for stopping by to view our website. Since 1993, the Ames NAACP Branch has actively pursued our mission to ensure a society where all individuals have civil rights without discrimination based on race.

Our History

The Ames Branch of the NAACP was incorporated in 1993. The purposes and aims of the Branch are consistent with the National Association – to improve the political, educational, social, and economic status of minority groups; to eliminate racial prejudice; to keep the public aware of the adverse effects of racial discrimination; and to take lawful action to secure its elimination, consistent with the efforts of the national organization and in conformity with the Articles of Incorporation of the Association, its Constitution and By-Laws and as directed by the National Board of Directors.

The first monthly meeting of the Ames Branch of the NAACP was held on November 29, 1994. The application for a charter was presented at this meeting and the first slate of officers was elected. Officers included Edna Y.  Clinton, President: Dr. George A. Jackson, First Vice President; Myron Samuels, Secretary; and Shirley Barnes, Treasurer. Dr. Jackson became president in the latter part of 1995.

The first Freedom Fund Banquet was held in 1996, and the event was held yearly through 2009. During the Banquets, the organization brought in nationally-recognized speakers and awarded student scholarships. The organization was reactivated in 2011, and the Freedom Fund Banquet was reinstituted in 2012 under Edna Y. Clinton, who serves as President. During her tenure the Branch has been active in the state and community, hosting conversations between community members and the local police, being involved with the local school district, meeting with the Governor as it relates to prisoners and voting rights, and hosting events in cooperation with the Ames Public Library.

We remain a uniting force in the movement, coalescing together leading voices and organizations to collaborate on initiatives that bring us closer to the future we all envision.

BECOME A PARTNER

Our Work at a Glance

In the fall of 2011, the NAACP launched a process to develop its strategic direction and plan. Six NAACP Game Changers were developed to address the major areas of inequality. These include: · Economic Sustainability · Education · Health · Public Safety and Criminal Justice · Voting Rights and Political Representation · Expanding Youth and Young Adult Engagement Thanks to you, the Ames Branch of the NAACP is making a difference in these areas in our community.

A few examples include:

• Co-sponsoring the second “A Symposium on Building Inclusive Organizations” with the Ames Chamber of Commerce and Iowa State University, which provides local businesses and the community with practical strategies for building more inclusive workplaces.

• Actively participating in the development and delivery of the second Ames Citizens Institute, which supports grassroots diversity and inclusion access and opportunities for input.

• Collaborating with, and co-sponsoring, the annual Ames/Story County Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Celebration Event.

• Helping to sponsor the Ames Public Library’s 2020 Black Arts and Music Festival in honor of Black History Month.

• Involvement in the Ames Youth and Schools Action Team, a non-partisan and apolitical group of concerned citizens whose intention is to shine a light on racial and ethnic disparities that exist throughout the Ames Community School District. Work included conversations about recruitment and retention of staff of color, and hosting a new educator staff welcome and staff of color gathering.

• Sponsoring with the Ames Public Library the movie “The Best of Enemies” about the relationship developed between a KKK member and community activist, which was followed by a discussion with Ames High School youth.

• Initiating conversations with the superintendent of Ames Public Schools and regularly attending school board meetings and contributing to community conversations.

• Co-sponsoring the Ames community Juneteenth Celebration with Iowa State University’s Black Faculty and Staff Association in order to share with our community the relevance of this event in black history.

• Partnering in a 6-week study of “The Lies Between Us.” Held throughout the city of Ames, the study helped participants gain clarity and understand the lies we embrace that govern diverse interpersonal relationships. As a follow-up, the chapter participated in the Ames Public Library’s “Talk RACE” programming and co-sponsored the White Fragility and the Lies Between Us panel discussions.

• Encourage culturally-conscious youth development through reading to students at Sawyer Elementary.

• Collaborated on a First Friday event with the student chapter of the NAACP, which provided an opportunity for community/campus connection.

• Participated in the “NAACP On The Hill” activities at the State Capitol to interact with legislators regarding traffic stops and racial profiling.

• Engaging in quarterly meetings with the Governor of Iowa and the Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice to discuss initiatives involving banning the box, felony voting privileges, and second chance opportunities.

• Contributing to conversations at Iowa State University and the City of Ames to further work related to diversity and inclusion initiatives.

• Participating in the Iowa Summit on Justice and Disparities to better understand how the local chapter can move forward with criminal social justice initiatives.

• Supporting the Ames Education Foundation’s Support our Students program, which meets the needs of district youth, via a donation.

• Engaging in social and criminal justice discussions and interactions with Ames High School students.