Evanston North Shore Branch NAACP

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Group of NAACP officers standing on stage holding their right hand up to take an oath

Installation of NAACP officers January 2025, Photo by Joerg Metzner

Never Before has the Work of the NAACP Been More Urgent

June 2025
Letter from the President

Dear NAACP Members and Supporters,

It is dangerous to be an American. It is especially dangerous to be a black or brown American.

The past month has been filled with significant opportunities for growth, expanding horizons and realizing the critical importance of the NAACP’s work and service. Our national office engaged in a week long series of Civil Rights Advocacy Training sessions for officers and members of the branches, college chapters and youth councils around the nation. The training sessions reminded us of our structure, cycle of success, maintaining authenticity and always remembering to work for the greater good of the NAACP.

It seems that just as the training sessions concluded multiple, abysmal issues began occurring throughout our nation. Issues of immigration have seized the nation. Frequent raids by ICE officials have led to parents keeping their children from school. People who have lived in the United Sates for years are filled with fear as racial profiling is unfolding in cities and towns throughout the nation. The Supreme Court has allowed the current administration to deport Venezuelans under the Alien Enemies Act. Nearly all immigrants who are being targeted are black and brown.

The latest travel ban has targeted several countries. They include Afghanistan, Myanmar, Bura, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Others with partial restrictions all have something in common. They have a majority population of black and brown people. The administration is considering banning over thirty more countries, most located on the continent of Africa. In addition, Trump brought white South African farmers to the United States, granting them services because he argued they were in danger of South Africa’s black controlled government.

Healthcare costs are soaring. High inflation is threatening to tear down the backbone of our economy. Economic inequality is creating a widening gap between the very wealthy and poor. Predominately black and brown students at institutions of higher education are seeing funding and resources eliminated. Human rights, violence against LGBT people, gun violence, and gender equality are growing problems in the United States. The majority of these issues are related to black and brown Americans.

With a dwindling economy, the lowest approval rating of any president in history after six months, with a nasty and public divorce from a special appointee, white South African billionaire, can it get any worse? Do you see how the inane and absurd has been moved into the arena of normality? It is absurd that the richest man on earth is engaged in a public feud with the most powerful man in our country. It is absurd that the United States government would approve of a fifty million dollar military parade that wound up being the worst military parade in the entire human history of military parades! It is absurd to watch a position that was once dubbed “the leader of the free world” go to a G-7 Summit, and then without notice, leave early without addressing any world issues. It is not only absurd. It is dangerous. Especially for black and brown people in our nation and throughout the world.

In addition, we must prepare for the fact that it is going to worsen. In our progressive city of Evanston and around much of the north shore, we can expect formidable barriers. Already, Northwestern has endured over $700 million dollars in federal resources being frozen. Our own District 65 has also been approached by the administration with claims that it is not eliminating DEI programs and initiatives. Students from elementary through graduate school are worrying every day about family members being swept up by ICE and deported. Mind you, the vast majority of these students are also black and brown.

A few days ago Americans rallied together in hundreds of locations around the country under the banner “No Kings.” I was proud to stand in the crowd at Fountain Square in Evanston in support of Indivisible Evanston’s tireless work of planning rallies and building coalitions. I listened closely to the speakers. Then I went home and looked at NO KINGS rallies being held throughout the nation. Hundreds and thousands of people gathered together in towns and cities from “sea to shining sea.” It came to me in those moments that the NAACP is as important in 2025, as when it was founded in 1909. The same people who caused great havoc on the most vulnerable and marginalized people then, are causing the mess and misery of our present state. One hundred and twenty six years later, the struggle continues.

Now if we can only get on the same page. All of those disgruntled with the injustices that are building in our nation; black, brown, yellow and white people, straight and gay people, working class, poor, and wealthy, plumbers, Ph.D.’s and preachers, men and women, seniors and children. If we can just glimpse the unparalleled power of unity, then danger will subside in our country. And we can then work together to build a more just world, a better country and a Beloved Community. Unity, is the only way. That is why I am grateful for the Evanston/North Shore NAACP.

Peace and Power,
Rev. Dr. Michael Nabors
President
Evanston/North Shore NAACP

Evanston Branch

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The Rev. Michael Woolf (left) and the Rev. Michael Nabors, recipients of the Edwin T. Dahlberg Peace and Justice Award, stand together at Lake Street Church on Sunday. Woolf is pastor of Lake Street Church and Nabors is pastor of Second Baptist Church. Credit: Chris Walker

Rev. Michael Nabors, pastor of Second Baptist Church, President of the Evanston/North Shore NAACP, and Rev. Michael Woolf, pastor of Lake Street Church will receive the Edwin T. Dahlberg Peace and Justice Award for outstanding work for peace and justice.