NAACP Recognizes and Honors Ina Boon for her Contributions in the Struggle for Equality for All

WHEREAS, the late Ina Boon, an outspoken, tough, smart and capable foot soldier, spent over 55 years of her life as an indefatigable crusader for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, ("NAACP") to bring equality and justice to all on a regional and national level; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Boon, as a young woman, volunteered for the St. Louis, Missouri NAACP branch, and in the 1950's, quit her job with the U.S. Government and began working for the NAACP as the first paid branch secretary in St. Louis, moving up to become the executive director of the branch in the 1960's; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Boon was the Missouri NAACP field director and the first regional director of Region IV, and retired as the longest tenured director of NAACP Region IV; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Boon went on to work at the NAACP national office where she managed a campaign to promote lifetime memberships; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Boon, serving under six national NAACP presidents, supervised fundraising, voting, housing, job and education initiatives of the branches and state conferences in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Boon help spearhead the integration of the St. Louis Fire Department where she helped spawn the Firefighters Institute for Racial Equality, a group that has challenged hiring and promotional practices which discriminated against Black people.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the NAACP is privileged to be the beneficiary of Ida Boon's many contributions and is proud to pay richly deserved tribute to Ina Boon as a courageous and outstanding public servant for civil rights.