NAACP chapter returns to Southern University

The Southern University chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People recently held its first meeting of the fall 2005 semester.
The chapter has been a part of Southern’s campus since the 1950s but it has, until now, been considered inactive. The university’s chapter has always had members, but to be considered active, a chapter must have 25 paid members.
Southern however only has 16.
Southern is one of three NAACP chapters located in Baton Rouge. This includes a collegiate chapter at Louisiana State University and the Baton Rouge national chapter. While the chapters operate separately, many projects bring each of the chapters together.
“The Baton Rouge chapter is Baton Rouge’s chapter and Southern’s chapter is Southern’s chapter,” said SU NAACP President Clara Butler. “But, anytime anything happens, we’re all working together — they’re not joining. When we join in anything, it’s working together to make one or the other’s function better,” she said.
Getting more members is a top priority this year for the Southern chapter, which is why they plan to have several membership drives scheduled throughout the fall semester. With the influx of students from New Orleans, the Southern chapter has opened its arms to any NAACP members from other chapters.
“Everyone has goals and ideas and has things they want to see happen on campus. We can add these things onto our agenda,” Butler said. “And as new Southern students, we welcome them into our chapter, so we can all work together.”
In addition to member drives, the SU NAACP is working on several propositions, including a legal certified bill of rights for college students in Louisiana, a revised out-of-state waiver fee and goals to improve graduation rates at Southern by possibly adding more African American Studies classes.
“We are working with Kwame Asante and definitely focusing on education, especially with the ACT and LEAP tests,” said Byron Sharper, local NAACP member and Baton Rouge Metro City Councilman, Dist. 7.
Often cited as one of the “biggest, the boldest, most hated and despised” groups around, the NAACP is one of the nation’s oldest civil rights movement groups. Founded by a group of multiracial activists in 1909, the NAACP fights for the rights of millions of blacks, and encourages others to do the same. The NAACP has hundreds of thousands of members nationwide and more than 50 college chapters and youth groups.