Goose Creek, SC Branch # 56A3 Volume 3, Edition 08 August 2008 Goose Creek SC NAACP Branch #56A3 August 2008 Newsletter Cincinnati July 12-17, 2008 - 99th Annual NAACP Convention Focuses on Power, Justice, Freedom & The Vote NAACP leaders pledge a new push to remove Confederate flag from South Carolina Statehouse grounds noose itself, whose message we get as a people, the confederate flag is a racially divisive symbol whose message of racial hatred, segregation, slav- ery, and second class citizenship we equally reject and must continue to do with direct action, including a continued tourism boycott. The confederate flag dishonors the black and white United States soldiers who sacrificed their lives in defeating that flag and the vanquished confederacy Andrea Glover it represents. The NAACP must return to South Branch President Carolina, return to our starving brothers who would July 14, 2008 - Dennis Courtland Hayes, NAACP sell us back into slavery hoping never to see us Inside This Issue again. We must tell them, “A’int gonna let nobody Interim President and CEO during his speech at the convention announced a renewed boycott aimed at turn us around”, turn us around, turn us around, Remove the Flag……………..1 bringing down the Confederate flag. The NAACP is ain’t gonna let nobody turn us around, we gonna Website Launched…………...1 asking Hollywood actors and producers to join the keep on walking, keep up talking, moving up the 2008 Freedom Fund Jazz Gala2 King’s highway; we must remind them, that “before boycott and not come to South Carolina to shoot any Branch Elections Notice……..2 movies. State lawmakers passed a law that just went I’ll be a slave, I’ll be buried in my grave, go home to my Lord and be free.” The National staff and the President-Elect Ben Jealous..3 into effect July 1 to offer producers better incentives Michael Rodgers ………...…..4 to make their movies in the state. South Carolina State Conference of Branches invite your participation in our future direct action activities July Meeting In the News…...5 Hayes told members at the national convention in in the state of South Carolina. Region V Election……………6 Cincinnati that, " As we work with others who want to While Hayes didn’t provide details of what might be Convention Comments……...6 work with us, we will continue to fight those who coming, he told members "Stay tuned for more in- Take Down The Flag………...7 resist our righteous call for justice; we will continue to formation.” National Day of Action………8 fight that which is disrespectful and injurious to us as a people. Therefore, the Association must turn its “This is unfinished business,” said Dr. Lonnie Apology for Slavery………...10 attention to the State of South Carolina where the Randolph, state NAACP president.□ Witchta Sit-in……………….11 confederate flag flies on the State House’s plaza Go to http://www.naacpwebcast.com/naacp2008/ to Upcoming Events…………...12 grounds in the face of our children. No less than the see the convention from gavel to gavel Our Website www.naacpgoosecreek.org went online Monday July 28, 2008 Myrlie Evers Visit our website and give us your feedback and recommendations to improve the site. John Matthews, Webmaster Email: [email protected] August 2008 - Page 1 Page 2 NAACP CREEK CONNECTION Save the Date Saturday October 11, 2008 for the Goose Creek NAACP Freedom Fund Jazz Gala at Goose Creek Branch NAACP Dean Hall - Cypress Gardens PO Box 1356 Goose Creek, SC 29445-1356 Why a Jazz Gala? Jazz is America’s musical art form. Jazz originated around the beginning of the Telephone: 843-729-7994 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States from a confluence of African Fax: 843-628-4950 and European music traditions. It has evolved into an enduring expression of creativity and innovation. But Email: [email protected] jazz is much more than an extraordinary musical genre — it is also the story of central social, political and cultural issues of the 20th century that continue to play a part in our fledgling 21st century. Officers There will be food, wine, dancing and live jazz by Jazz Pianist Oscar Rivers & Company President ……………Andrea Glover 1st VP ……….Paul W. Staggers, Jr. Tickets are $60.00 each for the VIP Reception and Jazz Show or $35.00 for the Jazz Show only. 2nd VP……………...Thomas Lanier For tickets and more information contact Marlene Lemon at 469-2397, Roscoe Singletary at 797- 6903, Eddie Anderson at 553-9648, Thomas Lanier at 345-8561, or Eyamba Williams at 475-8202. Secretary……………...Brenda Bines Treasurer……………Deneen Moore Goose Creek NAACP Executive Committee Members Freedom Fund Jazz Gala 2008 Eddie Anderson Nancy Martin Saturday October 11, 2008 at Dean Hall - Cypress Gardens Oscar Rivers Herbert Bodison John Matthews Rosalind Cato Christine Moore 6-7:30 PM Private VIP Reception and Company 8 PM Jazz, Wine and Dancing Veronica Dukes Robert Newton Tickets are $60.00 and $35.00 per person Ranese Harrell Roscoe Singletary Jenae Haynes Rev. Mae Taylor David Johnson Eyamba Williams ***********2008 Branch Election Notice********** A Nominating Committee (5-15 members) will be elected during the September meeting. All members whose memberships are current as of 30 days before BRANCH the meeting date may be elected to the Nominating Committee. MEETINGS The Goose Creek Branch NAACP will hold elections for Branch officers and at large members Goose Creek of the Executive committee during the month of November 2008. All officers and at-large mem- NAACP meets bers of the Executive Committee will be up for election. Any person desiring to run for office the first Monday must be a current member of the Branch, and reside or work within Berkeley, Charleston, Dor- chester County which is the area covered by the Goose Creek Branch. The exact date, time, and of the month location for the election will be determined and announced during the September or October at meetings of the Branch. In order to vote in a Branch election, one must be a member in good Abraham Masonic standing of the Branch 30 days before the election as well as provide valid identification. Building 206 Liberty Hall Rd On or before our regular scheduled October meeting, there will be a report of the Nominating Goose Creek, SC. Committee, receipt of Nominations by Petition, and Election of the Supervisory Committee. All members whose memberships are current as of April 1st may be nominated for office or as an 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM at-large member of the Executive Committee. In order to sign a nominating petition, or be Executive Meeting elected to the Election Supervisory Committee, a member must be current as of 30 days prior to 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM the October meeting. General Meeting On November 3, 2008, the election of officers and at-large members of the Executive Committee Upcoming Meetings will take place at Abraham Masonic Hall. Polls will open from 6 to 8PM. In order to vote in a Branch election, one must be a member in good standing of the Branch 30 days prior to the Monday Aug 4, 2008 election. A form of identification is required. Monday Sept 1, 2008 We look forward to your participating in these activities. Monday Oct 6, 2008 Brenda Bines, Branch Secretary Monday Nov 3, 2008 August 2008 - Page 2 Volume 3, Edition 08 Page 3 Remarks by NAACP President-Elect Benjamin Todd Jealous 99th Annual NAACP Convention, Cincinnati, Ohio taught himself to read, purchased age, turning 21 is an accom- ridding the country of lynch himself and his family out of slav- plishment. mobs. Over the next three ery, and went on to be a co-signer I went to my grandmother and decades we built the bridge to July 14, 2008 - For almost 100 of the VA Constitution after the said, ‘Tell me the rest of the victory by building the public Civil War. outrage and opposition that years, almost every great stride story Grandma. Tell me what made it possible; on behalf of Black people—and In short our family, like all of the happened. Things aren’t getting many of the greatest on behalf of families in this room, is a move- better.’ In the early 1930s we took aim all people— have been made ment family. That is to say we are She just looked at me and said, at outlawing Jim Crow and we because of the work of the a family in which it is understood ‘It’s simple, baby, we got what constructed the legal bridge to women, men, and youth of the that nurturing your own children make it happen; we fought for, but we lost what NAACP. and fighting for all children is the we had.’ In 1954, we set our sights on Let me give thanks to all of us, the same act. We gained the right to send our desegregating every institution members, the supporters, the These are great times we live in, children to any school, but local in this county over the next volunteers, the staff, the national monumental times. four decades we built bridge schools are falling apart and directors and trustees, especially Turn on CNN and you see that they seem to be re-segregating after bridge, and succeeded Dennis Hayes, and Chairman black women are billionaires, a by the day. We gained the right school by school, corporation Bond. by corporation. Black man has a real shot at the to live in any neighborhood but The honor of being named the White House, and my grand- the cost of housing in too many We are the biggest grassroots 17th president to lead this great mother, like many of you, is giddy cities and towns has become army for human rights in this organization is something that I with the possibility that she may exclusively high.