National NAACP Goals

While much was accomplished over the past 100 years, the NAACP's 21st Century agenda is focused on protecting and advancing civil rights in areas were disparities still exist.

Mission

The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure the politcal, educational, social and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination.

Advocacy Areas and Current Disparities

Education

• In 2004, white 9th graders scored on average 226 points on the national assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP) test, compared to 200 points for blacks.
• In math, whites scored on average 247 points on the NAEP test compared to 224 for blacks (this amounts to about two grade levels behind).

NAACP GOAL: Ensure that all students have access to an equal and high-quality public education by elmiinating education-related racial and ethnic disparities.

Economic Empowerment

• White's homeownership rate (75%) vs. black's homeownership rate (48%)
• Median net worth: white ($81,700); black's net worth ($10,000); Latinos ($3,000)
• In 2004, 8.6% of whites lived below the poverty level compared to 24.7% of blacks.
• Blacks are twice as likely to be unemployed as whites.

NAACP GOAL: Accelerate economic growth in our communities and eliminate racial and ethnic economic disparities.

Healthcare

• Racial and ethnic minorities make up 1/3 of U.S. population, but comprise 52% of the uninsured.
• Black women accounted for 69% of all diagnosed female HIV/AIDS cases in 2003.
• African Americans account for 50% of annual new HIV/AIDS infections, yet this group makes up only 13% of the U.S. population.
• 47% of white women are overweight compared to 77% of black women.

NAACP GOAL: Increase access to high quality healthcare for all citizens and promote the creation of policies and practices that reduce health-related disparities among people of color.

Civic Engagement

• In 2004, 60.3% of whites voted compared to 56.3% of blacks.
• In 2000 and 2004, the percentage of uncounted votes was higher in minority, high poverty, counties.

NAACP GOAL: Increase African American participation in the democratic process by removing roadblocks and disincentives.

Criminal Justice

• Among the one million offenders incarcerated as of June 30 2004, an estimated 576,000 were black males between the ages of 20 and 30.
• For ages 25–29, 12% of blacks were in jail compared to 3.6% of Latinos and 1.7% of whites.
• Once arrested, blacks were three times more likely to be incarcerated than whites.

NAACP GOAL: Eliminate disparate treatment of blacks in all aspects of law enforcement and the criminal justice system.

International Affairs

• North America accounts for 1.2% of HIV/AID cases; sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 25.8%.
• U.S. two-way trade with Europe totaled $517B compared to $44B with Africa.
• Immigrants from Africa/Caribbean have less than a 50% chance of being admitted and a higher chance of being deported from the U.S.

NAACP GOAL: Promote fair and equitable human rights and economic justice for people of color across the globe.