NAACP calls for Department of Justice to investigate death of Jayland Walker

The NAACP is making a direct plea to Attorney General Merrick Garland for the Justice Department to open a federal civil rights investigation into the shooting death of Jayland Walker, the Black man who was killed last month by officers in Akron in a hail of police gunfire.

“No one is above the law, including law enforcement. Those responsible for hunting him down and firing 90 bullets at him should be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. We are urging you and your Department of Justice to conduct a thorough investigation into the murder of Jayland Walker, and – if what we all saw with our own eyes is true – federally charge the officers responsible for his gruesome assassination,” Derrick Johnson, the president and CEO of the NAACP, wrote to Attorney General Merrick Garland.

“If the officers’ conduct did not scream just how inhumane and fatally dangerous they are, the very fact that they handcuffed his corpse speaks volumes. This does not happen to white people in America,” Johnson said. “Just over a week ago, a mass shooter was detained as a ‘person of interest’ before being officially charged 24 hours later. He killed seven people and wounded countless others at a parade, yet officers did their job professionally and arrested him with dignity.”

“It is time to hold law enforcement officials accountable for treating Black Americans by different standards. We pray that your department will launch this critical investigation in the quest for justice in this case,” he added.

The Justice Department has yet to comment on the letter.

NAACP SET TO HOST HISTORIC 111TH NATIONAL CONVENTION ENTIRELY ONLINE

The NAACP is set to host its 111th National Convention entirely online. Over the course of two weeks, from August 2-6 and August 9-15, the nation’s most prominent social justice organization will bring together elected officials, members, organizers, faith leaders, and entertainers for workshops and discussions to promote solutions to some of the most pressing issues like COVID-19, voter suppression, police brutality, racism, the 2020 election and more. Registration for the convention will open the week of July 20. Interested participants can register at naacpconvention.org.

“The predicament we find ourselves in as a nation, as a society and as a people presents a unique opportunity for change on a large scale,” said Derrick Johnson, president and CEO, NAACP. “Living through a health pandemic and a racial crisis has tested the frays of our country, and I can’t think of a better time to convene thought leaders and those with a vested interest in creating a social and political atmosphere that works for all.”

Since the beginning of COVID-19, the NAACP has hosted countless panels, town halls, and gatherings across digital platforms to ensure communities had access to knowledgeable experts and accurate information. The annual convention will be a continuation of the organization’s efforts to keep people safe, informed and secure in their civil and human rights.

As our communities’ safety and security continue to be our utmost priority, the association’s 111th annual convention will seek to serve an even larger audience by creating a robust offering of programs online,” said Leon W. Russell, chairman, NAACP Board of Directors. “The fight for justice is needed now more than ever, and our commitment to ensuring all realize it is our priority.”

More information about the 2020 NAACP National Convention, including a schedule of events and registration details, can be found by visiting naacpconvention.org.

Elizabeth Warren speaks at NAACP candidates forum in Detroit

During the 2019 NAACP convention which took place on July 24, 2019, in Detroit, Sen. Elizabeth Warren took part in a forum that was moderated by April Ryan. Warren and Ryan discussed many issues on interest to African American voters. Watch their conversation.

Hillary Clinton speaks at the NAACP National Convention

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton spoke at the NAACP National Convention in Cincinnati, Ohio on July 18, 2016. Clinton spoke on criminal justice reform, the tragic shootings of Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, and police in both Dallas and in Baton Rouge, and of course Donald Trump. Watch her speech below:

Trump denies offer to address the NAACP

NOTE: It should be important to note that both John McCain(2008) and Mitt Romney(2012) made time to attend the NAACP Convention. AfricanAmericanReports.com.

The NAACP says Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has declined an invitation to address the group's upcoming convention, flouting established precedent and highlighting anew the GOP standard-bearer's struggle to attract support from nonwhite voters.

NAACP president Cornell William Brooks told CNN Tuesday that Trump had declined the group's invitation to speak at the Cincinnati gathering, scheduled from Saturday through Wednesday. Presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton is slated to speak there next Monday, which is also opening day of the Republican National Convention across the state in Cleveland.

Brooks said the Trump campaign cited scheduling conflicts with the GOP convention, where Trump will formally accept the party's nomination. Brooks argued Trump should have made the time amid the racially charged fallout of videotaped killings of black men by police in Louisiana and Minnesota, followed by the killings of five Dallas police officers by a black sniper.

"We represent an occasion for those running for president to speak to the nation's most critical issues at a critical hour in this country," Brooks said on CNN. "You can't run for president and not talk about police misconduct and police brutality. You can't run for president and not talk about the nation's civil rights agenda."

He called the gathering an opportunity for Clinton and Trump to give civil rights leaders "a window into not only their policies, but into their heart and character as a candidate."

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