Chairman Leon W. Russell Gives Opening Mass Meeting Speech at 115th NAACP National Convention

GOD OF OUR WEARY YEARS 

GOD OF OUR SILENT TEARS 

THOU WHO HAS BROUGHT US THUS FAR ON OUR WAY 

THOU WHO HAS BY THY MIGHT, LED US INTO THE LIGHT 

KEEP US, FOREVER, IN THY PATH WE PRAY. 

I OFTEN BEGIN WITH THESE WORDS, AND  

I BEGIN WITH THOSE WORDS THIS EVENING BECAUSE IN JULY OF 2024 THEY RESONATE MORE CLEARLY THAN THEY EVER HAVE. 

AS NAACPERS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY CONVENE HERE IN LAS VEGAS FOR THE 115TH TIME, AS THE NATION'S PREMIER CIVIL RIGHTS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION, JOINED BY OUR ADVOCACY PARTNERS, GOVERNMENT LEADERS, CIVIC AND SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS, FRATERNAL BODIES AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS; WE FACE A STRUGGLE FOR THE SURVIVAL OF THE NATION AS A PLURALISTIC UNIFIED DEMOCRACY FOUNDED ON THE PREMISE THAT ALL OF US WERE CREATED AS EQUALS ENDOWED WITH CERTAIN INALIENABLE RIGHTS TO LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS. TONIGHT, ALL OF THAT; EVERY THOUGHT; EVERY WORD AND ALL OF THE PROMISE THAT WE BELIEVED THE UNITED STATES SHOULD BE IS ON THE BALLOT. THE QUESTION IS NOT VEILED IN SOME VAGUE THEORETICAL DOCUMENT. ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES. ELECTIONS ARE ABOUT CHOICES. IN 2024 THE CHOICE IS CLEAR. DO WE CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARD THAT MORE PERFECT DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE UNION OR DO WE GO BACK TO A JIM CROW PAST. DO WE LET OUR NATION SLIDE BACK TO A TIME WHEN OUR SOCIETY WAS SQUARELY ROOTED IN SEPARATION AND OTHERISM; A PAST THAT WAS DEFINED BY THE HAVES VERSUS THE HAVE NOTS? WILL WE ALLOW PROFIT TO PREVAIL OVER PEOPLE AND THE SURVIVAL OF OUR PLANET; OR WILL WE THROW OFF THE ECHOES OF OUR PAST AND WORK TO MAKE THIS NATION THE BRIGHT SHINING EXAMPLE OF HUMAN BEINGS WORKING TOGETHER UTILIZING EVERYTHING THAT MAKES US DIFFERENT TO CREATE FOR ALL OF US, THAT MORE PERFECT UNION? DO WE CLEARLY UNDERSTAND AND BELIEVE THAT; IN UNION THERE IS REAL STRENGTH? ARE WE CLEAR THAT WORKING TOGETHER EVERYONE ACCOMPLISHES MORE. NAACP, ARE WE A TEAM? 

ADMITTEDLY, THAT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN IS THE CHALLENGE WE FACE.  WE ARE IN A WAR FOR THE VERY SOUL OF OUR NATION.  THIS EVENING NAACP, I ASK, ARE WE ALL IN THIS FIGHT? ARE WE ALL IN TO CONTINUE THE FIGHT TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE THE GAINS WE HAVE MADE AS A NATION? ARE WE ALL IN THIS FIGHT TO ENSURE THAT PUBLIC POLICY WORKS FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US? ARE WE ALL IN THIS FIGHT TO ENSURE THAT WE GO FORWARD TOGETHER? ARE WE ALL IN THIS FIGHT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL AMERICANS, EVERY PART OF OUR COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS THE CHALLENGE? ARE WE ALL IN THIS FIGHT TO ENSURE THAT EVERY ELIGIBLE VOTER WE KNOW, CASTS AN UNFETTERED BALLOT FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE ON NOVEMBER 5TH?  ARE WE ALL IN THIS FIGHT? 

GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MEMBERS OF THE NAACP AND ESPECIALLY, TO THE ELECTED DELEGATES TO THIS 115TH ANNUAL CONVENTION.  THANK YOU, KENYA COX, FOR THAT MARVELOUS INTRODUCTION. I WANT TO EXTEND A TRULY HEARTFELT THANK YOU TO EVERY ACTIVE, ENGAGED AND ENERGIZED MEMBER OF THIS ASSOCIATION WORKING IN TWENTY-TWO HUNDRED COMMUNITIES ACROSS THIS NATION, ADVOCATING FOR CIVIL RIGHTS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE FOR ALL OF US. YOUR WORK IS UNSUNG, BUT I NEED YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE SEEN AND THAT YOUR WORK IS APPRECIATED. 

I COME TO YOU THIS EVENING, UNDERSTANDING THE GRAVITY OF OUR CURRENT SITUATION. I SEE THE CHALLENGE AND I KNOW THAT EVERY PERSON SITTING IN THIS ROOM TONIGHT ALSO UNDERSTANDS THE CHALLENGE. THE QUESTION IS WHETHER OR NOT WE WILL ENGAGE IN THIS BATTLE FOR THE SOUL OF OUR NATION OR WHETHER WE WILL LET THE FORCES OF SUPREMACY AND GREED CARRY THE DAY. WILL HATE AND BIGOTRY TAKE US BACK TO A TIME WHEN THE ROAD WAS STONY AND WE TROD OUR PATH THROUGH THE BLOOD OF THE SLAUGHTERED? OR ARE WE ALL IN TO CONTINUE TO MARCH ON UNTIL VICTORY IS WON? 

TONIGHT, WE MUST DECIDE THAT WE WILL ENGAGE IN AN ELECTION WHERE THE CHOICES ARE CLEAR. WILL WE VOTE TO DENY OUR OWN HISTORY? WILL WE ALLOW PUBLIC POLICY TO BE MADE AND ENFORCED THAT SEEKS TO ERASE OR AT THE VERY LEAST WHITEWASH THAT HISTORY? THAT'S ON THE BALLOT IN 2024. AND LET ME BE CLEAR, WHEN I TALK ABOUT THE 2024 ELECTION, PLEASE, DON'T THINK THAT I AM ONLY SPEAKING TO THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION? THE CHOICE THERE IS STARK AND WE MUST ENGAGE, HOWEVER, I NEED YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE THREAT, THE SERIOUS THREAT, COMES AT THE STATE AND LOCAL LEVEL. IT IS STATE LEGISLATURES, SCHOOL BOARDS, CITY COUNCILS AND COUNTY COMMISSIONS THAT MUST BE THE FOCAL POINT OF OUR ATTENTION BECAUSE IT IS THOSE POLICY MAKERS WHO POSE THE MOST DANGER AND WHO ARE DOING THE MOST DAMAGE. WE MUST LOOK AT JUDICIAL RACES AND WE MUST UNDERSTAND THAT THE PEOPLE WE PUT INTO POSITIONS WHERE PUBLIC POLICY IS MADE AND THOSE WHO IMPLEMENT IT, REQUIRE OUR ATTENTION AND OUR SCRUTINY. 

BLACK HISTORY IS BEING WHITEWASHED OR REMOVED FROM OUR PUBLIC-SCHOOL CURRICULUMS, BOOKS ARE BEING BANNED AND EQUAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY IS BEING QUESTIONED. ARE WE ALL IN TO VOTE? 

RIGHTS THAT THIS ASSOCIATION AND OUR ALLIES FOUGHT LONG AND HARD TO SECURE ARE BEING TAKEN AWAY BY A COURT DOMINATED BY WHITE NATIONALIST IDEOLOGY. COURTS ARE ELECTED OR APPOINTED BY PEOPLE WHO ARE ELECTED. ARE WE ALL IN TO GO TO THE POLLS TO SECURE THE RIGHTS THAT OUR PREDECESSORS SUFFERED TO SECURE? 

THE SUPREME COURT DESERVES OUR SCRUTINY TODAY MORE THAN ANY OTHER TIME IN THE NATIONS HISTORY. THIS COURT HAS ROLLED BACK PROTECTION FOR OUR RIGHT TO VOTE. IT HAS STRIPPED AWAY A WOMAN'S RIGHT TO DETERMINE HER OWN HEALTH CARE. IT IS A THREAT TO WORKERS RIGHTS AND IT HAS DECLARED WAR ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION. COURTS MATTER AND COURTS ARE A DIRECT RESULT OF WHO GETS ELECTED TO POSITIONS THAT APPOINT THEM AND THE LEGISLATIVE BODIES THAT APPROVE THOSE APPOINTMENTS. IN 2024 WE ARE FACED WITH A SUPREME COURT THAT INVITES CHALLENGES TO OUR VOTING RIGHTS, OUR RIGHTS TO AN ENVIRONMENT THAT IS CONDUCIVE TO THE SURVIVAL OF OUR PLANET AND OUR RIGHT TO A GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE BY THE PEOPLE. OVER AND OVER AGAIN THIS UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT HAS SHOWN ITSELF TO BE THE PROTECTOR OF THE FEW MONEYED PEOPLE, RATHER THAN THE MAJORITY OF OUR NATION WHOSE OUTPUT ACTUALLY MAKES US THE MAGNET FOR PEOPLE FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE GLOBE. THE THREAT POSED BY THIS SUPREME COURT IS BEST SUMMED UP BY TWO CASES HANDED DOWN IN THE FINAL DAYS OF THIS YEAR'S SESSION. IN ONE CASE, THE COURT DETERMINED THAT HOMELESS PEOPLE CAN BE CRIMINALIZED FOR SLEEPING OUTSIDE IN PUBLIC SPACES. A RETURN TO THE DAYS OF DEBTORS PRISON, WHERE POVERTY AND MENTAL ILLNESS ARE DECLARED TO BE CRIMES.   ON THE OTHER HAND, THIS COURT ALSO HANDED DOWN A DECISION THAT ESSENTIALLY MAKES ONE MAN IMMUNE FROM THE CRIMINAL LAW. OUR SUPREME COURT DECLARED THAT OUR PRESIDENT CAN COMMIT ANY CRIME, NO MATTER HOW HEINOUS, SO LONG AS HE CAN CLOAK HIMSELF IN THE MANTLE OF PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY-EIGHT YEARS AGO WE DECLARED OURSELVES RID OF IMPERIAL MONARCHY. THE ROBERT'S COURT HAS TAKEN US BACK TO THAT ERA. THE QUESTION REMAINS, ARE YOU ALL IN TO ENGAGE IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS? ARE YOU ALL IN FOR THE FIGHT TO REFORM THE SUPREME COURT? THINK ABOUT IT, IT WAS ONLY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LAST CENTURY, THAT WE BEGAN TO SEE THE COURT AS A TRUE ARBITER OF MORAL AUTHORITY. PRIOR TO THAT, THE SAME COURT GAVE US DRED SCOTT AND PLESSY VERSUS FERGUSON. ONE SAID WE, THOSE OF US IN THIS ROOM, AND BEYOND, WERE NOT CITIZENS AND THAT WE HAD NO RIGHTS THAT A WHITE MAN NEED RESPECT. THE OTHER DECLARED SEPARATE BUT EQUAL TO BE THE LAW OF THE LAND.  

LET ME BE CLEAR: THEY JUST HAD ELECTIONS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND THEY UNDERSTOOD: "IF YOU DON'T DO POLITICS, POLITICS WILL DO YOU!" 

THIS IS A YEAR, 2024, THAT MAY, AT SOME POINT, BE CLASSIFIED, IN THE WORDS OF OUR HYMN, AS ONE OF OUR "WEARY" YEARS. BUT IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE, IF, WE ARE ALL IN. 

IF WE ARE ALL IN ON THE FIGHT FOR CIVIL RIGHTS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE WE CAN DEFEAT HATE AND BIGOTRY. 

IF WE ARE ALL IN ON THE WORK OF THIS ASSOCIATION, WE CAN ENSURE THAT EVERY CHILD HAS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO A FREE, WORLD-CLASS RIGOROUS PUBLIC EDUCATION. 

IF WE ARE ALL IN TO THIS FIGHT, WE CAN PROTECT A WOMAN'S RIGHT TO CHOOSE HEALTH CARE THAT IS RIGHT FOR HER AND HER FAMILY. 

IF WE ARE ALL IN TO THIS FIGHT, WE CAN ENSURE THAT EVERY PERSON HAS ACCESS TO OUTSTANDING AND AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE, PERIOD 

IF WE ARE ALL IN TO THIS FIGHT, WE CAN PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT AND WE CAN ENSURE THAT PUBLIC POLICY DOES THE SAME. 

IF WE ARE ALL IN TO THIS FIGHT UP AND DOWN THE BALLOT, WE CAN ENSURE THAT PUBLIC POLICY WORKS FOR ALL OF US AND NOT JUST FOR THOSE WITH THE MOST MONEY. 

IF WE ARE ALL IN TO THIS FIGHT, WE CAN ENSURE THAT DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION ARE THE HALLMARKS OF AN ECONOMY THAT WORKS FOR ALL OF US. IF WE ARE ALL IN TO THIS FIGHT, WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE ALL HAVE A BOAT THAT CAN BE LIFTED WITH THE RISING TIDE. 

IF WE ARE ALL IN FOR THE FIGHT TO MOTIVATE EVERY PART OF OUR COMMUNITY TO BE CIVICALLY ENGAGED ALL THE TIME, WE CAN HAVE A SOCIETY WHERE THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IS NOT JUST ABOUT US, BUT ABOUT PROVIDING JUSTICE FOR ALL PEOPLE. 

IF WE ARE ALL IN TO THIS FIGHT, WE WILL ENSURE THAT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE ALL IN. WE WILL FIGHT TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE A PLACE AT THE TABLE AND THAT THEIR VOICES ARE HEARD AND INCLUDED. NAACP, WE WHO BELIEVE IN FREEDOM CANNOT REST. 

I SAY TO YOU THIS EVENING: SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICARE, MEDICAID AND THE RIGHT TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING MIGHT BE ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK, IF THIS NAACP, IF WE AS A PEOPLE ARE NOT, ALL IN TO VOTE. 

NOT VOTING IS NOT AN OPTION, IF YOU BELIEVE IN FREEDOM! IF WE ARE TRULY ALL IN WE KNOW THAT OUR BLACK IS TO VOTE IN EVERY ELECTION AND FOR EVERY POSITION ON THE BALLOT. 

THIS NOVEMBER, I NEED US TO REMEMBER THAT IF WE FAIL TO VOTE, THERE ARE THOSE WHO HAVE COME UP WITH A PLAN TO TAKE US BACK TO THE 19TH CENTURY. IT'S CALLED PROJECT 2025. IF YOU BELIEVE IN THE PROMISE OF THIS NATION, YOU AND I MUST COMMIT TO BEING ALL IN TO THE FIGHT TO MAKE SURE IT IS NEVER IMPLEMENTED. WE DO THAT BY BEING ALL IN TO VOTE. OUR JOB IS TO VOTE AND TO FIGHT TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE WE KNOW, VOTES. WE ARE AT WAR FOR THE SOULD AND THE SURVIVAL OF OUR NATION. THE NAACP IN ALL IN ON THIS FIGHT. 

AS I PREPARE TO STEP AWAY FROM THE PODIUM TONIGHT, I WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT THIS NAACP HAS A CHARGE TO KEEP, THIS EVENING. WE HAVE WORK TO DO THAT WILL GLORIFY THE GOD WE SERVE.  

I KNOW THAT WE AIN'T NO WAYS TIRED. WE HAVE COME TOO FAR FROM WHERE WE STARTED FROM. NOBODY TOLD US THAT THE WORK WOULD BE EASY, BUT GOD DIDN'T BRING US THIS FAR JUST TO LEAVE US. 

OUR CHARGE TONIGHT NAACP, IS TO BE ALL IN. 

ARE YOU ALL IN?