TERRE HAUTE —
Wabash Valley civil rights leaders are ready to start a new push for social equality and the elimination of racial hatred through the local branch of the NAACP.
The recently elected leadership of the Greater Terre Haute Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People took their oaths of office to begin new two-year terms Monday night at the St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church on South 15th Street.
This comes as the organization is narrowing its focus to a handful of key policy and outreach objectives, said Valerie Hart-Craig, who took the oath Monday night to start her second two-year term as branch president.
The local NAACP branch plans to work to promote economic sustainability, education, health, public safety, criminal justice, voting rights and political representation, especially voter turnout, Hart-Craig said.
After taking the oath with nine other members of the NAACP leadership, Hart-Craig said she plans to push hard in her new term to get members working toward the organization’s goals and priorities. She also plans to drum up a lot more effort from young adults.
“My particular generation, we’re not out there,” Hart-Craig said. Many of the most active members of the Greater Terre Haute Branch are seniors, she noted. “It’s our turn.”
The Greater Terre Haute Branch of the NAACP has about 150 members, Hart-Craig said. The organization meets the third Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the Vigo County Public Library.
Rev. Thomas Wood Sr. administered the oath of office to the newly elected leadership. One member, Treasurer Theressa Bynum, a former branch president, was out of town and took her oath by telephone.
In the area of political participation, the NAACP in Terre Haute is going to focus on improving voter turnout, Hart-Craig said. Nationally, the organization, which is based in Baltimore, is more focused on equality of access to polling places, she noted.
This summer, Terre Haute will host an NAACP education summit, said Dennis Bialaszewski, who was elected to an at-large position on the branch executive committee. The summit is still in the early planning stages, he said.
Wood, before administering the oath to the officers, had each elected official state his or her job within the organization. That was to remind them how they all have to work together, he said.
“We are one body,” Wood said in a prayer after the ceremony. “Without justice, we are a lost body and a lost nation.”
NAACP officers
President: Valerie Hart-Craig
First vice president: Sylvester Edwards
Second vice president: John Lang
Secretary: Drucella Thomas
Assistant secretary: Diana Hart
Treasurer: Theressa Bynum
Assistant treasurer: Oscar Session
Executive committee: Sandra Wickware, Dennis Bialaszewski, Marsha Bialaszewski
Reporter Arthur Foulkes can be reached at 812-231-4232 or arthur.foulkes@tribstar.com.
Robot Action Connected to Human Thought
Tiger on Sergio: 'It's Time to Move On'
Obama: US Has Helped Syrian Rebels
California Cops Cruise on Stand-up Paddle Patrol
Rain Damages Brazil Soccer Stadium
Transgender Candidate Running in NYC
NYC 911 Call Lasts for 8 Hours
Raw: 100K Protesters Flood Brazilian Streets
Man Who Disrupted Flight Ranted About CIA
Falling Cable Hurts 10 NASCAR Fans
Afghan Forces Take Afghanistan Security Lead
Feds: 7-Eleven Stores Exploited Immigrants
Obama: NSA Secret Data Gathering 'Transparent'
Ex-NFL Star Chad Johnson Out of Jail
Raw: First Lady, Daughters Enjoy Irish Sights
Today in History June 18
Oklahoma City Thunder Players Tour Moore
Raw: NASCAR Driver Jason Leffler Dies in Wreck
Iran's Rowhani Urges 'Path of Moderation'
Raw: Prince Philip Leaves Hospital After Surgery
RAW: NSA Director Says 50 Plots Foiled
Paige Butcher Scorches on Hawaii Beach
Video: worst way to load cargo onto a plane
Never-before-seen footage of '08 Times Square bomber
WATCH IT: Lil Wayne tramples American flag
Mariah Carey Looks Beautiful in a Tiny Cut-Out Swimsuit
Out of Control Boat Throws Passengers Overboard
See Lindsay Lohan in Rehab
Sofia Vergara Posts Perky Backside Pic in Thong
Gaga Ditches Her Crazy Couture
Caught on Tape: Teacher Accused of Beating Autistic Child
"Stay Classy" Campaign Aims to Curb Binge Drinking
Sesame Street Tackling Tough Topic Parents in Jail
Miss Utah Fumbles Interview Question
Deranged man claims Newark-bound flight was poisoned
Cameron Diaz and Kate Upton Show Off Their Amazing Bikini Bodies
NBA FINALS: Spurs Win Game 5, Lead Series
Exclusive Clip: Jodi Arias: 'Dirty Little Secret'
Amphibious bus filled with tourists sinks
