NAACP 114th National Convention Plenary Sessions to Highlight Black America’s Priorities

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

July 25, 2023

Contact: Alicia Mercedes, amercedes@naacpnet.org

WASHINGTON – The NAACP's 114th National Convention Plenary Sessions will feature a wide range of impactful discussions with distinguished guests highlighting the issues top-of-mind for Black America including Vice President Kamala Harris, Grammy-nominated rapper and activist Meek Mill, Robert Kraft, Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw, and Historian Henry Louis Gates.  

"The plenary sessions held throughout our Convention will provide a vital space for NAACP members and supporters to discuss the most pressing issues of our time and, most importantly, begin creating solutions that prioritize Black people," said NAACP President & CEO Derrick Johnson. "I look forward to these impactful conversations between our members and some of the most notable and influential thought leaders in our country today. I invite all who are committed to creating a better future to join us in Boston."

Plenary sessions will be held in the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center and are open to all registered Convention attendees. These sessions provide NAACP delegates and the local community with an opportunity to converse, learn and grow together with top leaders, thinkers, and advocates from every sector. The full schedule of Plenary events includes: 

Saturday, July 29, 4:30 pm - 7:30 pm 

• Opening Public Mass Meeting featuring Armchair Conversation with Vice President Kamala Harris
  • This meeting will feature NAACP Board Chairman Leon W. Russell, with an introduction by Representative Jim Clyburn, as well as greetings from Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, NAACP Boston Branch President Tanisha Sullivan and National Board of Directors member Michael Curry. 

Sunday, July 30, 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm

• Hate Has No Home Here - A Moderated Conversation on Racism, Anti Semitism, and Building Bridges to Fight All Hate
  • The panel conversation will be moderated by Fox Sports host Joy Taylor. Panelists will include NAACP President & CEO Derrick Johnson, Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates, criminal justice reform advocate Meek Mill, and Robert Kraft, Owner of the New England Patriots, Chairman of the Kraft Group and Founder of the Foundation to Combat Anti Semitism
• Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey will bring greetings.

Monday, July 31, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm

• NAACP Resolutions Plenary
  • NAACP delegates will vote on and ratify official Resolutions on topics including civil rights, criminal justice, economic development, education, health, and housing, among many others. 

Tuesday, August 1, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm

• Fractured: The People v. The States
  • This panel discussion will focus on how regressive policies in states such as Florida, Tennessee, and Texas have eroded Black Americans' hard-fought rights, including the ongoing attempts and prohibition of teaching the history of race and racism in America. Panelists include Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw, Co-host of The Talk Sheryl Underwood, and Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie. 
• Closing the Black Wealth Gap
  • The panel discussion will center around how systems of inequity have excluded Black people from traditional pathways to wealth and explore tangible pathways to building Black wealth. Panelists include NAACP President & CEO Derrick Johnson, CEO and Founder of Management Leadership of Tomorrow John Rice, Co-Managing Partner of Bain Capital Jonathan Lavine, and Massachusetts Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Yvonne Hao. 

The NAACP would like to thank each of the following key sponsors who help make the National Convention possible: Bain Capital, MassMutual, State Street, Sanofi, Boston Building Trades, JP Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Delta Airlines, Verizon, UPS, Massachusetts Convention Center Authority, Ford Motor Company Fund, and The National Building Trades Union.

WHERE: Members of the press interested in attending and covering the NAACP National Convention in Boston are encouraged to fill out this form no later than Wednesday (7/26) at 9 AM ET.

WHY: The 114th NAACP National Convention will be held in Boston from July 26- August 1, 2023. This empowering and immersive experience is held each year to celebrate the collective power of the Black community. The Convention attracts innovative change-makers, thought-leaders, entrepreneurs, scholars, entertainers, influencers, and creatives, offering a platform to network and exchange ideas. Each year, the Convention fosters an intergenerational approach to advocacy, connecting activists, allies, and entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds through main stage discussions, luncheons, and the experience hall. Together, they are united in their commitment to ensuring the Black community thrives together. Please visit our website for full event details. 

###

About NAACP

The NAACP advocates, agitates, and litigates for the civil rights due to Black America. Our legacy is built on the foundation of grassroots activism by the biggest civil rights pioneers of the 20th century and is sustained by 21st century activists. From classrooms and courtrooms to city halls and Congress, our network of members across the country works to secure the social and political power that will end race-based discrimination. That work is rooted in racial equity, civic engagement, and supportive policies and institutions for all marginalized people. We are committed to a world without racism where Black people enjoy equitable opportunities in thriving communities.

NOTE: The Legal Defense Fund – also referred to as the NAACP-LDF - was founded in 1940 as a part of the NAACP, but now operates as a completely separate entity.