giving back Prince William NAACP Branch Gives Back Through Education, Legal Defense and More By Katrina Wilson
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Photos by PW NAACP
OVID-19 testing, Black business symposiums, voter education and registration are a few examples of how the Prince William branch of the NAACP has contributed to solving challenges within the community over the years.
History The history of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People dates back to 1909 when it was founded by men and women of color and other nationalities. A few notable founding members are W.E.B. Du Bois, Ida Wells-Barnett and Mary White Ovington. They converged in response to the consistent violence against Black people around the country. The Prince William branch of the NAACP was chartered in 1935 and has been active in the community ever since.
Focal Points While the NAACP’s mission is to eliminate racial prejudice and racial discrimination, they do so proactively through various avenues. The Prince William branch’s focal points are economic sustainability, health, public safety and criminal justice, voting rights and political representation, youth engagement and education. Rev. Cozy Bailey is president of the PW branch and has been serving for four years. He offered insight on current committees in the PW branch. ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY “In the last three years, we’ve conducted a Black business symposium,” Bailey said. “We organize and partner with the
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November 2020 prince william living
Rev. Cozy Bailey, current president of Prince William NAACP Branch speaks to a group of youth at a Black History program at Potomac Middle School.
Northern Virginia Black Chamber of Commerce…” According to Bailey, the symposium provides positive exposure for the businesses and is especially beneficial for those without many advertising avenues. The branch also stays current on economic legislation.
