Information

Information about our people, our society, our struggle.

KPBS Member? Some Good Programs to Stream

The following was sent to us by a member of both the NAACP and KPBS; these look to be great programs!

Take a deep dive into African American history with these great programs that profile fascinating people and stories
Nine Impactful Programs About Black Lives in America  We have a great selection of videos for Black History Month that are available on the PBS Video app, which you can download on any device where you watch streaming video. PBS Video is available for iOS, Android, Amazon Fire, Roku, Apple TV and more – just check the app store on your favorite device.  A couple of these shows are exclusive to members like you who have your digital member benefit, KPBS Passport! If you haven’t activated your Passport account yet, click here to get started (and if you have difficulty, watch this step-by-step video).

Reconstruction: America After the Civil War  Henry Louis Gates Jr.’s documentary series “Reconstruction: America After the Civil War” explores the transformative years following the American Civil War, when the nation struggled to rebuild itself in the face of profound loss, massive destruction, and revolutionary social change.  The twelve years that composed the post-war Reconstruction era (1865-77) witnessed a seismic shift in the meaning and makeup of our democracy. This series tells the full story of this misrepresented and misunderstood chapter of American history.*Passport exclusive 

 The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution  A new revolutionary culture emerged in the turbulent ’60s, and the Black Panther Party was at the vanguard. “The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution” sheds light on the Black Panther Party — and all its reviled, adored, misunderstood, and mythologized history. Weaving together rare footage with voices of those who were there, Stanley Nelson tells the vibrant story of a pivotal movement that still feels timely.  


 Nas Live From the Kennedy Center: Classical Hip-Hop  Two decades after the album’s critically acclaimed release, Nas teamed up with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, to stage a symphonic rendition of “Illmatic,” one of the most revered albums in hip-hop history.* Passport exclusive


Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Black Colleges and Universities  The rich history of America’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) began before the end of slavery, flourished in the 20th century, and profoundly influenced the course of the nation for over 150 years — yet remains largely unknown. With “Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Black Colleges and Universities,” the story of the rise, influence, and evolution of HBCUs comes to life. 


 Say It Loud  “Say It Loud” is a PBS Digital Studios series that celebrates Black culture, context, and history. Hosts Evelyn from the Internets and Azie Dungey give you a comedic take on identity and pop culture, from Black pride movements to Black Twitter. The show explores the complexity of Black experience and finds joy in the many ways Black folks have influenced American life.  Episodes explore such topics and figures as soul food, Richard Pryor, Missy Elliott and Black inventors.


The First Rainbow Coalition  In 1969, the Chicago Black Panther Party formed alliances across ethnic and racial lines with other community-based movements in the city, including Latino group the Young Lords and southern whites the Young Patriots. Banding together in one of America’s most segregated cities to confront issues like police brutality and substandard housing, they called themselves the Rainbow Coalition. 


 John Lewis – Get in the Way  The son of sharecroppers, John Lewis grew up in rural isolation, seemingly destined to a bleak, segregation-imposed future. But his fate took a different turn, and Lewis rose from Alabama’s Black Belt to the corridors of power on Capitol Hill, his humble origins forever linking him to those whose voices customarily go unheard.   Follow his journey from the Selma March in 1965, where Lewis came face-to-face with club-wielding troopers and exemplified non-violence, to the 21st century, where he came to be considered the conscience of Congress.  


We’ll Meet Again: Freedom Summer  Ann Curry hosts this series featuring dramatic reunions of people whose lives crossed at pivotal moments. View history through their eyes and hear stories of heroism, hope and the forging of unbreakable bonds.  In the show’s first season, “Freedom Summer” (Season 1, Episode 5) features the dramatic reunions of people who lost touch after the civil rights movement.   Fatima hopes to thank Thelma for her courage in the face of racism, and Sherie searches for the friend who inspired her commitment to social justice. *Passport exclusive


American Creed  Join former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, historian David Kennedy and a diverse group of Americans to explore whether a unifying set of beliefs, an American creed, can prove more powerful than the issues that divide us.   This special features an array of citizen-activists including baseball manager Joe Maddon, author Junot Díaz, Marine Tegan Griffith, and political organizers Joan Blades and Mark Meckler as they strive to bring communities together across deep divides.  

With your membership benefit KPBS Passport, you’ll get extended access to stream full seasons of your favorite public television shows on the PBS app on any device.  If you haven’t activated your KPBS Passport account yet, click here to get started. (And if you have any difficulty, watch our instructional video and check the Passport FAQs)PBS VideoThe PBS Video app lets you stream 4000+ of your favorite PBS shows and local KPBS programs on demand, anytime, anywhere. You can download the PBS Video app on any device where you watch streaming video.   PBS Video is available for iOS, Android, Amazon Fire, Roku, Apple TV and more – just check the app store on your favorite device.






2020 is a [Branch] Election Year

We are all of course aware that there is an election taking place in November that will determine whether civil rights protections, environmental protections, consumer protections, and nearly every other function by which government is supposed to protect its citizens from powerful monied interests will continue to be dismantled at a rapid rate.

In the light of that grim struggle, the Branch’s election will be a relatively light affair.  Happily you don’t really need to worry about it right away; unless you want to run for office.  Here is the timeline for the Branch’s 2020 Election:

For now, we want to make sure you know about step 1: the Membership Deadline:

In order to run for election in November of 2020, you must be a member in good standing as of April 1st, with your membership dues paid up.  If you have even a single day of lapsed membership from April 1st to the election in November, you will be ineligible to run.  We have seen this happen in our very Branch in the past, and the Secretary wishes to ensure it never happens again.

If you think you might run, check your membership card; if the Expiration Date is before April 1st, 2020, renew now!  Whatever the date may be, please make a mental note to renew before then, if you think you might run.  On her part, the Secretary will do her best to remind you when your dues are due, but it is ultimately your responsibility to keep up your membership.

April may seem like a long way away, but you have only two months to get this accomplished, and with the size of our to-do lists nowadays, it may take that long.

As always, you may renew your membership at join.sandiegonaacp.org or in person at a General Membership Meeting.  Please write [email protected] with any questions.

Please Note:  Every even-numbered year is a Branch election year.  The work of Civil Rights and the Six Game-Changers will not be put on hold “because it’s an election year.”  The NAACP San Diego Branch Office of the President and its Secretary will not take that attitude, despite the amount of work that has to be done for the election.

The State of Black America®

Every year, the Urban League publishes a report on the State of Black America. This year’s report focuses on voting rights, and the myriad ways they are under attack, both from the usual suspects and new threats made possible by the Internet.

LCAP Presentation

Lincoln Cluster Meeting, May 13th 2019, 5:30pm. – 6:45pm, Lincoln High School

The Vice-Chair of the Lincoln Cluster, and the District Director for Assemblywoman Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D., Ms. Lashae Sharp-Collins, will be presenting on the Local Control & Accountability Plan (LCAP).

LCAP is the mechanism by which the community is supposed to be able to control school funding, and community engagement is critical. Our schools are relevant to all San Diego residents, whether they have children in the Lincoln Cluster or not.

For more info about the presentation, please contact the Lincoln Cluster Chair, Mr. Roosevelt Blackmon, via e-mail at [email protected].

For more information about the Lincoln Cluster, please visit https://www.sandiegounified.org/lincoln-cluster.

New Discrimination Complaint Form

We wish that all the work we did was simply to provide uplift to our community; to celebrate and assist our wonderfully talented youth, to help people find good opportunities, services and other means to enrich their lives.

Unfortunately, we very often find ourselves trying to help people who have been discriminated against. The hardworking members of the Legal Redress Committee perform this work for the NAACP San Diego Branch. One of the things this committee has just done is overhauled our discrimination complaint form, to make it easier to understand and to get us more of the information we need to investigate your complaints.

Our new, friendlier Discrimination Complaint Form

If you have feedback on our new form, please email [email protected]

Know Your Membership

Be a Card Carrying Member of the San Diego NAACP

We are only as strong as our membership.  No people, no organization. Your NAACP Membership Card contains some key information:

  1. If yours says “RECEIPT” in red, it means you only have your receipt from NAACP San Diego Branch; your permanent card, when it comes will say “CARD” in blue.
  2. Regular Adult memberships are issued for one year. Check your expiration date and aim to renew one month in advance. Lifetime Memberships, not fully paid, have an annual expiration date until paid in full.   Lifetime Memberships fully paid list 1/1/9999 as an expiration date.
  3. This is your Membership number. If you ask us questions about your membership, please refer to this number.
  4. Check your branch number.  The San Diego Branch is #1063-B. If your card lists any other Branch number, and you would like to become affiliated with the San Diego Branch, contact [email protected] and a unit transfer form will be sent to you.

You may renew:

  1. Online at join.sandigonaacp.org
  2. In person on at 6:00 pm on the first Thursday of the month at The General Membership Meeting in the Jacobs Center Community Room, 404 Euclid Ave.
  3. By downloading a membership form and mailing it in with your check

Misplaced your Membership Card and have questions?

Contact [email protected] and we will straighten it out!

— Diane Langworthy, Assistant Secretary

Executive Committee Members Join Training with North County Branch

On February 23rd some of the newest members of the NAACP executive committee had the opportunity to attend a leadership training that was coordinated by the North San Diego branch and facilitated by a state and regional NAACP leader. During this training we were given information regarding best practices in financial management, social media use and public relations as well as the roles of various officers and committees. The San Diego Branch attendees learned a great deal and very much enjoyed the opportunity to build camaraderie amongst ourselves and with the members of our sister branch. We are very excited to bring back the information that we learned and use it as a catalyst for advancing our branch’s initiatives towards the advancement of colored people in the central San Diego region.

— Samantha Jenkins, Executive Committee At-Large Member

Notice: San Diego Festival of Science & Engineering

STEM Festival

Join Us Saturday March 2, 2019 10am to 5pm at PETCO Park What: For a Mind-Blowing Day of Hands-On Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Exhibits Who: Activities are targeted to budding K-12 science lovers, but everyone is welcome! Cost: Free! Why participate? It’s a unique opportunity to show

This looks like a great event! We recommend all ACT-SO STEM competitors attend!