Hillsborough County NAACP

Branch Information

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

VISION STATEMENT
The Vision of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure a society in which all individuals have equal rights and there is no racial hatred or racial discrimination.

OBJECTIVES
The following statement of objectives is found on the first page of the NAACP Constitution:

The principal objectives of the Association shall be:
• To insure the political, educational, social and economic equality of all citizens
• To achieve equality of rights and eliminate race prejudice among the citizens of the United States
• To remove all barriers of racial discrimination through democratic processes
• To seek enactment and enforcement of federal, state and local laws securing civil rights
• To inform the public of the adverse effects of racial discrimination and to seek its elimination
• To educate persons as to their constitutional rights and to take all lawful action to secure the exercise thereof, and to take any other lawful action in furtherance of these objectives, consistent with the NAACP’s Articles of Incorporation and this Constitution.

History

The birth of Tampa NAACP was brought about due to sub-standard
housing conditions, job discrimination in skilled and
unskilled employment levels. The Tampa Branch of the NAACP
was organized in 1917. Reorganized in 1920-21, it continued
to exist until 1996. NAACP Archives contain letters as far
back as 1913 asking for NAACP assistance to do battle
against racial discrimination in Tampa.

The National Board of Director merged the Tampa and
Plant City branches under a new Charter as the Hillsborough
County Branch of the NAACP on October 16, 1996. The first
officers of the Hillsborough County Branch elected on
December 7, 1996 at St. Paul A.M.E. Church were Ann Porter,
President; Sam Cooper, 1st Vice President; Dr. Sam Horton,
2nd Vice President; Rev. W. Paul Matthews, 3rd Vice President,
Patricia Baptiste, Secretary, and Ruby Williams, Treasurer.

The present officers are;
Dr. Carolyn Collins - President
Dr. Sam Wright - 1st Vice President
Mrs. Dot Nettles - 2nd Vice President
Mr. Charles Henderson - Treasurer
Mrs. Edrina Hammond - Assistant Treasurer
Ms. Pat Spencer - Secretary
Mr. Willie Robinson - Sgt. At Arms

The Hillsborough County Branch NAACP seeks to remove barriers
of racial discrimination through normal democratic processes,
informing legislatures of the importance of enacting laws securing
civil rights and their executives of their statutory, administrative
or inherent authority to end discrimination. The Branch administration
is composed of Standing and Special Committees under the auspices of
the State, Regional and National NAACP.

The Branch is located at 308 E. M. L. King Blvd., Suite “C” and
the Hillsborough County Branch Empowerment Center is located in
Suite “F” at the same address. Executive Committee meetings are
held the 1st Thursday of each month at 7:00pm at the branch office.
General Membership meetings are held on the 3rd Thursday at various churches throughout Hillsborough County. Branch hours are Monday thru Friday 8am to 4pm. Call for the Empowerment Center’s extended
hours.

For additional information contact our office by phone at
813-23I-VOTE (234-8683) or by Fax at 813-236-2248. Our Website
is www.hillsboroughnaacp.org.