News

Check back here regularly to find out where we stand on issues involving civil rights.

November 4, 2017

Black/Brown Coalition signs police/community code of conduct.

June 13, 2017

Board members participate in the "Combating Racism" Forum

March 12, 2017

Board member, Pastor Karen Shepler 65, passes away suddenly

February 13, 2017

Our President, Ray Wood, receives an award from United Pastors for Social Empowerment for his leadership in making the lead paint issue a priority of the NAACP Toledo Branch.

February 2, 2017

Letter to the Editor

The Toledo Branch of the NAACP is strongly opposed to the President’s move to stop immigration of certain nationalities of people. We are especially opposed to the ban on Muslims.

In fact, all of us are immigrants. Our country has been built and sustained by immigrants.  Africans were forcibly brought from their home countries to serve the needs of landowners. Chinese, Irish, Central and South American and other immigrants have shouldered the work of many industrial and agricultural enterprises throughout our nation’s history. The Statue of Liberty’s tablet has welcomed immigrants for decades with the words, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free…”. Our country has proudly opened its arms to others in need of freedom and justice since its founding.

We are aware of the concerns for terrorist activities in our country and abroad and the part played by extremists. But there are extremists in all religions. Christian extremists have been responsible for heinous acts throughout the history of the world and even to this day, they persecute others for various reasons. Singling out a particular religious group is a dangerous move. Many remember or have studied about the tactics of Hitler in Germany and other countries to identify and eliminate Jews. Although there were people who were outraged, the pogram continued. More than half a century later we are potentially on the verge of another wave of similar tactics. How do we determine whether a person is Muslim or Christian?  Will we make the Muslims wear badges and the Christians crosses?

We call on the President to lift the ban on Muslims traveling to our country until another solution can be found to stop Muslim extremists from threatening us from within and without. Stop separating families from each other. Refugees who have legally come to our country have come to find peace and freedom. They deserve at least that.