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| NAACP holds rally in Lansing to support U.S. automakers |
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Lansing --Officials from the NAACP rallied on the steps of the Capitol today in support of beleaguered auto industry employees and urged consumers to "buy American" when purchasing their next vehicles. "We're here to talk about American automotive jobs and to say we must support them and let our legislators know that everyone must be on board," said Yvonne White, president of the Michigan NAACP. The civil rights organization is celebrating its 100th anniversary. "We will not stand by while jobs leave this country," she told about 40 people at the rally. "We will be here for labor. Labor has always been a friend of the NAACP and civil rights." The rally followed private meetings between the group and members of the Michigan Legislative Black Caucus and with officials overseeing how Michigan is spending the billions in federal stimulus money it is receiving. Ruthie Stevenson, a retired autoworker who is president of the Macomb Branch of the NAACP, said the struggles in the auto sector are destroying financial dreams. "If Michigan goes down economically and socially, the rest of the country will, too," she said. "If the middle class goes away, where are we going to be?" The Rev. Edwin Rowe, senior pastor at Detroit's Central United Methodist Church, said President Obama "is our friend" but he is being misled by his Auto Task Force. He said the group is led not by people familiar with the auto industry, but "with Wall Street representatives leading him down the wrong path." Rowe said the task force is more concerned with the bottom line rather than the welfare of U.S. workers. He said it's morally wrong for General Motors Corp. to be shifting jobs to Mexico and Korea while shutting plants in this country. Since 1999, Michigan has lost 196,000 jobs in motor vehicle and parts manufacturing -- a 61-percent drop, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Just 124,000 of those jobs remain in the state today. © Copyright 2009 The Detroit News. All rights reserved.
May 20, 2009 NAACP hails century of strides, but sees much work still undone When Yvonne White's grandparents helped start the Michigan chapter of the NAACP nearly a century ago, the barriers to social justice in the United States were easy to see. Segregation, by law or tradition, often kept black and white people apart in school, at work and during recreation. Voting rights for blacks - and women - were hit-or-miss. With the national NAACP marking its centennial this year, Michigan members of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People took time Tuesday to celebrate how far the country has come in the struggle for equality. At the same time, they met with state legislators in Lansing to show lawmakers how much further there is to go. "We have been around and fought numerous battles in terms of freedom and justice," said White, president of the Michigan chapter. "The work's not done." In meetings with state legislators, NAACP members pressed for help for people struggling in the recession to find jobs, secure housing and obtain health care. While the organization has largely been identified with blacks, White said these are issues that affect everyone. And the NAACP doesn't see itself as catering to the needs of black people alone. White said the Hamtramck chapter of the organization has brought together members of the black, Polish and Asian communities. The president of that chapter is from a Bangladeshi family, she said. "Addressing issues in the community is what the NAACP is about," White said. "We're here to empower and educate communities." The empowerment can be personal, too. White's grandparents were friends of civil rights activist Rosa Parks. Parks worked with the NAACP to start a boycott of the segregated bus system in Montgomery, Ala. White's grandparents helped Parks relocate to Michigan in 1957. Parks would become a personal mentor to White, and White said that Parks helped her develop an appreciation for community service. The idea of helping the community also drew Lester Bryant to join the NAACP about three years ago. He now helps to raise funds for the Lansing chapter. "Growing up, I heard a lot about how the NAACP played a role in history," he said. "I wanted to take part in that, too." Thinking about the 100 years of NAACP history is a moving experience for Penny Warner, a member of the Lansing chapter. "A hundred years ago, black people couldn't walk in the front doors of some places," she said. "When I think about how much is changed, I want to cry. We've come a long way." Additional Facts NAACP EVENTS 1913: Publicly protests after President Woodrow Wilson segregates several federal departments. |
