NAACP celebrates 98th anniversary

St. Tammany News

In honor of the 98th anniversary of the founding of the NAACP, the Greater Covington Chapter held a celebration Tuesday evening in the fellowship hall of Bethel Reform Methodist Church.

The celebration also served as a local membership kickoff campaign. Ten new members joined the 125-member chapter during the celebration.

"The organization is not only a black organization," President James A. "Gus" Davis said Wednesday of the local chapter, which meets every second Thursday of each month in the church's fellowship hall at 602 W. 29th Street in Covington.

At Wednesday's event, Davis received the Community Service Award in recognition of his valuable contributions to the Louisiana NAACP.

The chapter was made a branch award recipient in recognition of its recent contributions to the state association. Annie and Buddy Spell received recognition awards for their efforts in promoting the local chapter.

To promote the chapter's efforts, Davis shared the words from a letter to all members of the organization, from the Rev. Charles White Jr., the NAACP national director of field operations. He wrote that the founders of the organization formed Feb. 12, 1902 included only one person of color. The founding members were Mary White Ovington, Henry Moscowitz, Oswald Garrison Villard, William English Walling, Ida B. Well-Barnett and W.E.B. DuBois, the sole black member.

The Greater Covington chapter was re-established in February 2005 with Annie Spell serving as president. As the current president, Davis said he hopes the chapter grows in order to make positive contributions in St. Tammany Parish.