Cincinnati NAACP

A Legacy of Impact

Cincinnati NAACP has a rich and vibrant history, but we are more than our past. Who we are is every bit as much about our present and future. It’s about our legacy of advocacy, activism, hope, and progress. The legacy we will leave is the history we continue to make, the narratives we change, and the ability to create a sustainable positive impact on the lives of people in our community now and yet to come.

Who We Are Today

Founded in 1915 as part of the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization, the Cincinnati NAACP is among more than 2200 branches with more than two million activists across the country united in the fight to end racial inequality. We are an IRS-designated 501(c)(4) nonprofit advocacy organization operated by local members and leaders in our jurisdiction of Hamilton County, Ohio.

Through our many active Committees fueled by active members and residents across our community, Cincinnati NAACP fights against disparities in housing, education, economic development, and healthcare to name just a few. We advocate and raise awareness to address the inequities that exist in vulnerable, marginalized, and disadvantaged communities. We also stand up against racial discrimination and hate. We receive complaints reporting such issues by phone and by email and provide referrals to assist complainants. We also provide voter registration, education, and engagement as well as political campaign forums for the community.

We Are:

Neighbors and role models

Helping hands and healing hearts

Community leaders and “boots on the ground”

Passionate in our actions and grounded in our convictions

Staunch advocates and tenacious adversaries

Inclusive collaborators and fierce competitors

Dedicated players and strategic coaches

Courageous survivors and social justice warriors

Multi-generational and multi-cultural

Change agents of today and the hope of the future

The Mission of a Lifetime

Our ongoing work across Hamilton County remains consistent, aligned, and supportive of the mission of the overall NAACP to prioritize Black lives in all spaces, to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons, and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination by working to:

  • Eliminate race prejudice among citizens
  • Remove all barriers of racial discrimination through democratic processes
  • Ensure enactment and enforcement of laws securing civil rights
  • Communicate the adverse effects of racial discrimination and seek its elimination
  • Educate everyone on their constitutional rights
  • Take all lawful action to secure the exercise of constitutional rights
  • Take any other lawful action in furtherance of these objectives

A Legacy of Leaders and Change

Founded in 1915 with just 15-20 members, the Cincinnati NAACP is a branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). With no office, the group met in member’s homes, feared discovery, and was considered radical. By the mid-sixties, membership had grown into the thousands, and demonstrations and sit-ins became useful tools for accomplishing goals.

One of its earliest successes was the elimination of the separate school system for African Americans. It also achieved breakthroughs in employment and public accommodations by relying on the power of the courts and public persuasion. See the timeline of our history for more details about our successful activism.

The home of grassroots activism for civil rights and social justice, we carry forward the legacy of W.E.B. Dubois, Ida B. Wells, Thurgood Marshall, and many other giants of civil rights. Learn more about the powerful and fascinating history of the NAACP.