Page 10 The Skanner November 15, 2017
News
A
fter being eclipsed
in recent years by
Color of Change,
Black Lives Mat-
ter and other younger,
more tech savvy and po-
litically-pointed groups,
the nation’s oldest and
largest civil rights orga-
nization will change its
tax status.
The group’s leaders
said that the new tax sta-
tus would allow them to
be more aggressive po-
litically.
NAACP officials an-
nounced that the civil
rights group will tran-
sition from a 501(c)(3)
to a 501(c)(4) designa-
tion. The change will al-
low the organization to
be more partisan and po-
litically focused. Howev-
er, the tax designation
does not allow political
work to be the “primary
activity” of the organiza-
tion.
Even
though
the
NAACP is 108 years-
old, the organization is
struggling to modernize
and stay relevant in a
rapidly-evolving, social
media-driven landscape
that requires speed and
strategic
communica-
tions skills.
In October, the NAACP
named Derrick Johnson
as its president; John-
son was elected by the
PHOTO COURTESY OF NAACP
By Lauren Victoria
Burke (NNPA Newswire)
The NAACP announced plans to
change their tax status, shortly
after announcing that Derrick
Johnson would become the
group’s new president.
NAACP’s board to serve
for three years.
In a statement an-
nouncing Johnson as
the new president, Leon
Russell, the board chair-
man of the NAACP said,
“As both a longtime
member of the NAACP,
“
look forward to continu-
ing to work with him in
this new role.”
Russell continued: “In
his time serving as our
interim president and
CEO, Derrick has prov-
en himself as the strong,
decisive leader we need
to guide us through both
our internal transition,
as well as a crucial mo-
ment in our nation’s his-
tory. With new threats
to communities of color
emerging daily and at-
tacks on our democra-
cy, the NAACP must be
more steadfast than ever
before.”
Johnson is a native of
Detroit, Michigan who
lives in Jackson, Missis-
sippi. He is a long-time
member of the NAACP,
who was elected Vice
Chair earlier this year
and served as the inter-
The organization is strug-
gling to modernize and stay
relevant
and a veteran activist in
his own right—having
worked on the ground to
advocate for the victims
of Hurricane Katrina,
along with champion-
ing countless other is-
sues—Derrick also inti-
mately understands the
strengths of the Associa-
tion, our challenges and
the many obstacles fac-
ing Black Americans of
all generations, today. I
im president after Cor-
nell Brooks was forced
out. Johnson attended
Tougaloo College before
earning a juris doctor
degree from South Texas
College of Law in Hous-
ton.
The NAACP ousted
Brooks in the spring of
this year, a few months
before the group’s an-
nual convention in Bal-
timore.
World News
Briefs
Zimbabwe Army has
Mugabe, Wife in Custody,
Controls Capital
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Zim-
babwe’s army said Wednesday it has
President Robert Mugabe and his wife
in custody and is securing govern-
ment offices and patrolling the capi-
tal’s streets following a night of unrest
that included a military takeover of
the state broadcaster.
The night’s action triggered spec-
ulation of a coup, but the military’s
supporters praised it as a “bloodless
correction.”
For the first time, this southern Af-
rican nation is seeing the military op-
pose Mugabe, the world’s oldest head
of state and one of the longest-serv-
ing authoritarian rulers. Mugabe has
been in power since Zimbabwe’s inde-
pendence from white minority rule in
1980.
Armed soldiers in armored person-
nel carriers stationed themselves at
key points in Harare, while Zimba-
bweans formed long lines at banks in
order to draw the limited cash avail-
able, a routine chore in the country’s
ongoing financial crisis. People looked
at their phones to read about the army
takeover and others went to work or to
shops.
In an address to the nation after tak-
ing control of the Zimbabwe Broad-
casting Corporation, Major General
Sibusiso Moyo said early Wednesday
the military is targeting “criminals”
around Mugabe, and sought to reas-
sure the country that order will be re-
stored.
AP PHOTO/BRYNN ANDERSON
NAACP Set to Change Tax Status
to Engage Politically
Alabama Democrat Senate candidate Doug Jones
walks across the street to speak to the media Nov.
14 in Birmingham, Ala. Jones runs against former
judge Roy Moore.
scandal at bay. He won’t be so lucky on
U.S. soil.
The president returned to Wash-
ington on Tuesday night and walked
straight into a party panic over the
sexual misconduct accusations dog-
ging GOP Senate candidate Roy Moore.
Having pushed publicly and privately
for Moore to get out of the race, Re-
publicans believe their last best shot
is Trump, who they hope can persuade
his fellow political rebel to fall in line.
Trump has given little indication of
whether he’s interested in playing the
role of party heavy. Press secretary
Sarah Huckabee Sanders has echoed
other Republican leaders, saying last
Friday that Moore should step aside if
the allegations are true. But as other
Republicans began to call for Moore
to quit the race, Trump was notably
silent in public. On Tuesday, he didn’t
address the issue when he spoke with
reporters aboard Air Force One as he
flew back to Washington, nor did he
respond to shouted questions about
Moore as he entered the White House
that night.
For Trump and Republicans, there
Trump Returns, Faces
are no good options. If Moore wins,
Alabama Senate Scandal
they can either spend an already har-
WASHINGTON (AP) — President rowing midterm election cycle defend-
Donald Trump spent five days in Asia ing their new colleague, or overturn
largely keeping the Alabama Senate the will of Alabama voters by casting
him out of the Senate.
If Moore loses and the
seat flips to Democratic
control, the party loses
a critical vote in its ra-
zor-thin Senate major-
ity, with issues like tax
Dec. 20, 1960 - Nov. 6, 2017
reform and immigration
Memorial Service Nov.
set to be considered in
18th at Rose City Park UMC
5830 NE Alameda 10:30 a.m.
Michael Ray
Richardson
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