HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NAACP

This year marks the 100^th anniversary of our nation’s oldest, largest and most widely recognized civil rights organization. The NAACP was welcomed to NYC and congratulated by Mayor Bloomberg, who described his father’s support of the NAACP back in 1950, and by Sen. Chuck Schumer, Cong. Charles Rangel and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

The NAACP has much to be proud of – particularly the election of our first black president. Tonight Chairman Julian Bond reminded us that only one generation (his father’s) stands between Julian Bond and bondage. The recent incident of racial discrimination at the Valley Swim Club in Philadelphia, in which a group of black day-camp children were told to leave a pool because they “changed the complexion and atmosphere” of the facility shows their work is far from done.

Eugene Duffy and his Special Contributions Committee pledge to raise more money from more people than ever before because they know, as Clarence Darrow said, “You can protect your liberties in this world only by protecting the other man’s freedom. You can be free only if I am free."