ALABAMA EXCELS AT NAACP SOUTHEAST REGION 5 CONFERENCE

Jimmie Gardner, President of the Mobile County Branch of the NAACP was awarded the distinguished Medgar W. Evers Leadership Award. This prestigious Ruby Hurley Membership Award went to the Mobile County Branch

Alabama’s NAACP delegation, headed by Edward Vaughn, NAACP State Conference President, along with his Executive Staff, local Branch Presidents and others, received more awards at this year’s 56th Annual NAACP Southeast Region 5 Conference than any of the other six states: Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. This year’s historic Medgar W. Evers Freedom Awards Banquet was held at the M. W. Stringer Lodge in Jackson, Mississippi, on March 8, 2008.

President Vaughn, a survivor of a fiery automobile crash on November 16, 2007, in Mobile, Alabama, was awarded the distinguished Earl T. Shinhoster Through the Storm Award, in recognition of his vigilance during this near fatal ordeal.

Alabama swept the Conference with other awards in both the Adult and Youth/College Divisions.
Adult Division

The prestigious Ruby Hurley Membership Award went to both the Eufaula/Barbour County Branch and to the Mobile County Branch. The coveted Medger W. Evers Leadership Award went to Belvia Jones of the Dothan/Wiregrass County Branch and to Jimmie Gardner, President of the Mobile County Branch.

Youth/College Division

The Kelly Alexander, Sr., Memorial Leadership Award went to Leonard Phillips, Alabama A&M University NAACP President. NAACP College Chapter of the Year Award went to both Alabama A&M University and to the University of Alabama/Birmingham. The Best New Youth Unit Award went to the American Indian Youth Council (the premiere NAACP American Indian Council of its kind anywhere). Their advisor, Sonja Smith, won the Ruby Hurley Memorial Advisor of the Year Award. Both the Unit and Ms. Smith are members of the Dothan/Wiregrass County Branch. The State Youth and College Division of the Year Award went to Alabama State Conference Youth/College Division (Number One of all seven states). The Youth Communication Award went to the University of Alabama/Birmingham Chapter (which houses the only college NAACP website in the Region).

Alabama’s NAACP certainly exhibited a resounding presence throughout this year’s 56th Annual NAACP Southeast Region 5 Civil Rights Advocacy Conference, where the mission continues to be to always promote justice and eliminate racial hatred and discrimination for everyone, everywhere. Congratulations Alabama NAACP resident Edward Vaughn and membership for keeping Alabama’s NAACP “retooled, retrained, and reinvigorated!”

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You can find the local chapter of the NAACP on the web at: http://www.mobile-naacp.org/ , or e-mail: info@mobile-naacp.org for more information.