New York Branch History

On January 27, 1911, the New York Branch was organized with Joel E. Spingarn as Chairman.  Members of the Executive Committee included Oswald Garrison Villard, Charles H. Studin, Gilchria Stewart and Mrs. Frances Blascoer. In April 1911, Dr. DuBois proposed that the Branch should have an investigator and organizer to examine cases and complaints, to raise funds and develop a “forum for discussion. Gilchrist Stewart, a young attorney, was chosen to fill this role and become Chairman of the New York Branch Vigilance Committee. 

In the fall of 1911, the Branch opened in Harlem where “colored people could report any cases of injustice before the law.” During the first six months, three cases were handled involving police brutality.  In one, a policeman was tried and suspended for 3 months. Subsequently, there was a successful campaign to break up the pattern of theatre segregation.  Despite these activities, the Branch was adversely affected by a lack of stability and in December 1913, the Board decided that the New York Vigilance Committee be reorganized and focus on fundraising for the National Association.  The legal work handled by the Vigilance Committee was transferred to the National NAACP office, which by then, had a full-time lawyer.  Eventually, the New York Branch gradually became inactive, when the NAACP Annual Report was published in 1916, the Branch was not listed.  According to historian Charles Flint Kellogg, the original charter had been lost.  Since there was no record of its date of issue, a new charter was issued November 11, 1917, when James Weldon Johnson succeeded in organizing a Harlem Branch and became its Vice President.  Miss Mary White Ovington also secured approval from the NAACP National Board, to enroll those participants in the 1917 silent march on 5th Avenue, who had given $1 each, as members of the Branch for 1 year. Subsequently, the Branch again became inactive during the fall of 1931.  NAACP field Organizer Mrs. Daisy Lampkin, conducted a membership Campaign which ended in October.   2,500 members were enrolled and $3,323.00 raised.  As a result, the Branch was reorganized and granted a renewed charter on November 9, 1931.  

Since 1931, the New York Branch has been one of the major Branches of the NAACP. New York Branch Presidents who served from 1931 were James E. Allen.  Who later helped organize and became the first New York State Conference President. Ella Baker, Russell Crawford, Jawn Sandifer, Lional Barrow, Lind H. White, I. Joseph Overton, Percy E. Sutton, Basil A. Patterson, Richard A. Hildebrand, Jeff L. Greenup, Carl Lawrence, Dr. Annie B. Martin, Randy Tucker Jr. and presently Anthony Harmon.