Building & Strengthening NAACP Committees

The NAACP has 20 Standing Committees but branches can also form Special Committees to address issues not covered by an existing Standing Committee.

Overview of Committee Rules

1. All committees shall consist of no less than 3 members.
2. They shall report in writing each month to the Executive Committee at its regular meetings.
3. The Committees shall meet regularly at least once a month at places they determine. They shall inform the President of the time and place of each meeting. Special meetings may be called by the Chairperson or by 2 members on 2 days written notice.

Executive Committee
The Executive Committee shall: (1) have general control of the affairs and program of the branch, subject to the authority of the branch and the provisions of the Branch Constitution; (2) creates special committees as needs arise; (3) fills all vacancies in branch offices; (4) decides matters of branch policy subject to endorsement by the branch in accordance with National Office policy; (5) Appoints, employs and enters into contracts with salaried employees subject to employment procedures and qualifications approved by the National Office; (6) renders monthly reports to the branch containing reports of all special and standing committees.

Armed Services and Veterans’ Affairs Committee
The Committee on Armed Services and Veterans’ Affairs shall: (1) study conditions pertaining to veterans in the community; (2) serve as a center of information on material issued affecting African American veterans; (3) serve as a source of information to veterans and their families seeking information on government agencies serving veterans and; (4) receive and act on all veterans’ complaints relative to discrimination on account of race, color or creed, or denial of benefits in local areas because of discrimination.

Community Coordination
The Community Coordination Committee shall: (1) enlist the support of other community organizations on issues affecting the interest of African Americans and other communities of color.

Economic Development
The principal objective of the Economic Development Committee is to promote the growth of entrepreneurship among Africa Americans, and increase employment opportunities with private and public entities. The Economic Development Committee shall implement local efforts and support national programs to preserve and expand economic empowerment among African Americans and other communities of color.

Education Committee
The Committee on Education shall: (1) seek to eliminate segregation and other discriminatory practices in public education; (2) study local educational conditions affecting minority groups; (3)investigate the public school system and school zoning; (4) familiarize itself with textbook material used in the school and seek to eliminate material there from which is racially derogatory; (5) seek to stimulate school attendance; (6) keep informed of school conditions and strive to correct abuses where found and; (7) aim to be a center of popular education on the race question and on the work of the association.

Freedom Fund Committee 
The Freedom Fund Committee shall: (1) plan and conduct fundraising activities, including entertainments and other projects, for local and national purposes within the scope of the associations program; (2) work closely with finance committee; (3) plan fund raising affairs to raise your Freedom Fund assessment; (4) decide early in the year the type of affair(s) it will not schedule conflicting affairs. (See “fund – raising manual for NAACP branches).”

Health Committee
The Health Committee shall: (1) work to promote, protect and maintain the health of Africans Americans; (2) assess the health needs of the community; (3) advocate for equal access to health education, care, treatment and research for all American; (4) sponsor health-related activities such as health forums, fairs and workshops highlighting issues of importance to people of color; and (5) support health initiatives of the Association.

Housing Committee
The Housing Committee shall: (1) study housing conditions in the local community; (2) receive and seek to adjust complaints of discrimination; (3) oppose all restrictive practices whether public or private and; (4) disseminate information and render such other assistance which may eliminate discrimination in housing.

Labor and Industry Committee
The Labor Industry Committee shall: (1) seek ways to improve the economic status of minority groups by working to eliminate discriminatory employment practices in industry and government, wage differentials based on race, unequal opportunities for training and promotion, unfair dismissals; (2) encourage greater participation in the trade union movement; (3) work the enactment of state and federal fair employment practices legislation and; (4) work to improve opportunities in vocational and apprenticeship training; (5) provide competent vocational guidance and training on an integrated basis for young African American, e.g., to make it possible for competent, highly trained African Americans to compete on an equal basis for managerial, scientific, skilled, professional and other desirable jobs and to encourage qualified African American youths to seek admission to local apprenticeship training programs and; (6) work for the attainment of equality of opportunity in on-the-job training in upgrading and promotions in pay scales and in seniority.

Legal Redress Committee
The Legal Redress Committee shall: (1) investigate all cases reported to it; (2) supervise all litigation in which the branch is interested and; (3) keep the national office and the branch informed on the progress of every case. It shall not give legal advice.

Membership & Life Membership Committee
The Membership Committee shall: (1) work throughout the year to maintain and increase the membership of the Association; (2) be responsible for planning and organizing the annual membership campaign; and (3) be responsible on a continuous basis for soliciting new members and for securing renewals.
The Life Membership Committee shall consist of a Life Membership Chair and or Co-Chairman and at least three other members. It shall be the function of the Life Membership Committee to initiate all possible means to obtain life members and sponsor a continuing program toward this end.

Political Action Committee
The Political Action Committee shall: (1) seek to increase registration and voting; (2) work for the enactment of municipal, state and federal legislation designed to improve the educational, political and economic status of minority groups; (3) seek the repeal of racially discriminatory legislation; (4) work to secure equal enforcement of the law and; (5) keep the national office and the branch informed of all proposed legislation which affects minority groups. The committee shall be non-partisan and shall not endorse candidates for public office.

Religious Affairs
The Religious Affairs Committee shall include ministerial and lay religious leaders who are members of the branch. It shall: (1) promote an educational program designed to give a moral and ethical interpretation to the civil rights struggle; (2) interpret the work of the Association to organized religious groups of all faiths; (3) enlist the support of such organized religious groups for membership, fund raising and the struggle for equality and full civil rights; and (4) provide resource assistance for religious education and social action activities associated with the improvement of race relations.

Youth Work
Assist Youth Councils and College Chapters in achievement of NAACP goals…The Committee on Youth Work shall consist of youth council (s) Advisor (s) , the youth council (s) President (s) , and five (5) persons appointed by the Branch President. The Youth council Advisor shall chair the committee.