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Our Story

Who We Are

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Message from the President

Our Story

A Message from the President

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A Challenge to Stay in the Fight for Decency & Justice...

We need leaders not in love with money but in love with justice. Not in love with publicity but in love with humanity. Leaders who can subject their particular egos to the pressing urgencies of the great cause of freedom… a time like this demands great leaders.

 

We must remember why we are in the justice business again! The Metropolitan Kalamazoo Branch is to model its mission to serve the community with compassion and justice! Our long-term goal is to rebuild relationships in the community and within our organization. We are passionate about reestablishing the good name of the NAACP in our community.  I know we have a lot of work to do, but the members of the Branch are the great leaders we need for a time such as this! We are ready to make a significant difference in the greater Kalamazoo community again.

 

This is a new day and transparency is the order of the day for all of us! I am passionate about reestablishing the good name of the NAACP in our community.  I know we have a lot of work to do, but the members of the Branch are the great leaders we need for a time such as this!

 

We are ready to make a significant difference in the greater Kalamazoo community again. Are you ready to join us!

In the Fight for Justice...

Wendy Y. Fields

Our Story

Metropolitan Kalamazoo Branch History

On These Shoulders We All Stand . . .

 

Past Presidents

 

Rev. Thomas H. Smith

(1946-unknown)

Pastor

 

Fred Lilly

(1957-1958)

Brick Mason

 

Arthur Washington

(1958-1962)

First Black Kalamazoo City Commissioner

 

Amerriel Overton

(1962-1965)

Licensed Psychiatric Nurse

 

Duane L. Roberts

(1965-1966 & 1973-1976)

Postal Worker

 

Clemuel Dobbins

(1966-1967)

Public School Educator

 

Albert Hearn

(1968-1969)

Community Activist

 

Joseph W. Whitten

(1970-1972)

Public School Educator

 

Dr. Otha Gilyard

(1977-1979)

Pastor

 

Dr. Romeo Phillips

(1980-1987)

Professor

 

Rev. Asa Dawson

(1987-1989)

Pastor

 

Dr. Tilman C. Cothran

(1989-1990)

Professor

 

Malcolm Earhart

(1990-1992)

Attorney

 

Viola Gains McMillon

(1993-1997)

Company Executive

 

Honorable Alexander Lipsey

(1998-2001)

Judge

 

Rev. Jerry McNeely

(2004-2006)

Pastor

 

Lola Clark Atkinson

(2006)

Entrepreneur

 

Dr. Zawdie Abiade

(2007)

Pastor

 

Michael O. Wilson

(2007-2008)

Civil Rights Activist

 

Dr. Charles C. Warfield

(2008-2016)

Civil Rights Activist, Educator, Philanthropist

Dr. Carla Campbell-Jackson

(2016)

Executive Director

Dr. Strick Strickland

(2016-2018)

Pastor

Wendy Y. Fields

(2018-Present)

Community Activist

Since the inception of the Metropolitan Kalamazoo Branch in 1946, the Branch has been at the forefront of the fight against discrimination in the workplace, education and housing while laying the foundation for building a congenial relationship between the police and the Black community.

 

Over the years, the leadership of the Branch heeded the call and rallied the community in the fight for justice in Kalamazoo as the fight for justice on the national scene grew. In June 1963, the first woman to lead the Branch, Amerrial Overton (1966-67), organized the city’s first protest for equal employment and picketed Van Avery’s Drug Store in response to its unfair hiring practices of Blacks. And as a result of the protest, the Branch was able to work with the store to create a plan that would include giving Black residents a chance at mainstream jobs in Kalamazoo.

 

Although many more opportunities were available to Blacks in Kalamazoo after the civil rights era, the struggle for adequate housing and access to equitable education was still a major concern for Branch leaders. In response, Joseph Whitten (1970-72) led the Branch and supported the plaintiff in the case that would desegregate the city’s public schools. Subsequently, the Board of Education rescinded the desegregation plan. As a result, the Branch reorganized in1971 and worked with the community for the next two years to finalize a desegregation plan that would give all children an opportunity at the same education.

 

In the years to come, the Branch would increase its focus on poor people and the homeless in Kalamazoo. Reverend Dr. Otha Gilyard (1977-79) galvanized the membership around these very important issues and spearheaded the creation of many programs that tackled the issue of homelessness in Kalamazoo alongside other social issues, including teenage pregnancy, alcoholism, and drug addiction. Many of the programs like the Safe House still exist and continue to impact people’s lives today.

 

Strengthening the organization and its impact on the community became the Branch’s focus over the next couple of decades. The Branch ensured the execution of the public school desegregation order (Dr. Tilman Cothran – 1989-90), reestablished the youth chapter (Malcolm Earhart – 1990-92), established a Jobs and Training and Business Plan (Viola Gains McMillian – 1993-97) and strengthened the legal redress and inter- community cooperation (Honorable Alexander Lipsey – 1998-2001).

 

As a lifelong educator and the State’s Education Coordinator, Dr. Charles C. Warfield (2008-2016) charged our delegation to be more actively engaged in the education and encouragement of our children and youth. Dr. Warfield was quite active in the community and continued to infuse his commitment to education with similar organizations in the greater Kalamazoo area. This strategy was essential to ensuring that children of color in Michigan were challenged to be the best and the brightest!

 

As advocates for underrepresented people in the greater Kalamazoo area, the men and women of the Metropolitan Kalamazoo Branch continue to support equality, civil rights, voter mobilization and monitor equal opportunities for all people in the public and private sector in the greater Kalamazoo area.

 

We serve to honor those who came before, those struggling through life today and for the future generations we will never meet. 

Our Story

Executive Board and Committees

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Wendy Y. Fields | Branch President

wendyfieldsnaacp@yahoo.com

Larry Tolbert

1st Vice President

Lola Clark Atkinson
2nd Vice President

Cory King
3rd Vice President

Raven Britt
Secretary

mkbnaacpsecretary@gmail.com

Alecia Freeman

Assistant Secretary

Sue Springgate
Assistant Treasurer

Maria Johnson
Treasurer

mkbnaacptreasurer@gmail.com

At-Large Executive Committee

Philippa Jo Brown

Andrew Chaponda

Henry Cohen

Kenneth Johnson

Franklin McCarroll

Dr. Harvey Myers

J Vicki Richard

Michael R. Seals

Venessa Collins-Smith

Meri Watkins-Tolbert

Dr. Martha B. Warfield

 

 

 

Committee Chairpersons

Kari Hamann                                           Toni Kennedy                                            Kenneth Johnson     

Communication Chairperson                                      Community Coordination Chairperson                           Criminal Justice Chairperson

Dr. Douglas Davidson                                Bobby Boyd                                             Maria Johnson/Sue Springgate

Education Chairperson                                              Environmental Justice Chairperson                                 Finance Chairpersons

 

 

Lola Clark Atkinson                                    Kenneth Rowell                                          Isabelle Sanhou      

Freedom Fund Chairperson                                         Golf Outing Chairperson                                            Health Chairperson

 

Andrew Chaponda                                   Dr. Henry Cohen                                        Dr. Harvey Myers

Housing Chairperson                                                Labor & Industry Chairperson                                        Membership Chairperson            

 

 

Cory King                                               Anthony Bradley                                               

Political Action Chairperson                                       Veteran Affairs Chairperson         

 

 

Vacant                                                  

ACT-SO                                                                               

Economic Development                                                     

Legal Redress                                

Our Story

Monthly Membership Meetings

The Metropolitan Kalamazoo Branch NAACP General Membership meets the first Tuesday of each month at 6pm at the Family Health Center (117 W. Paterson Street, 2nd Floor, Kalamazoo, MI 49007). Due to COVID precautions, masks are required in the building. Please check in with the security guard to access elevator. 
 

 
Guest Speaker Request

 

The Metropolitan Kalamazoo Branch of the NAACP receives multiple guest speaking requests and will try our best to accommodate you. Guest speakers are given 10 minutes max to present information about their organization/cause. Please submit your request form at least 10 days prior to the next monthly meeting. We will confirm presentation details.

The Metropolitan Kalamazoo Branch of the NAACP is a non-partisan organization.

 

Please submit request form here: https://forms.gle/AfW5gjbfhVBCXYNM7

Additional information can be passed along to info@naacpkalamazoo.org

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