NAACP Leaders Plan for “Moral Mondays” in Chattanooga
In August, the NAACP called a news conference to talk about that two weeks ago, and now they’re taking the dialogue one step further.
Leaders of the city’s African American community made their case last month on the city hall steps.
They pledged to work toward better relationships across political and racial lines.
ELEANORA WOODS,D.D.S., NAACP LEADER "I think we have a lot of progress here in Chattanooga, we have so much to do in the area of race relationships."
Chattanooga is one of 12 southern cities to take part in "National Moral Monday".
That will consist of rallies, training sessions for demonstrations, voter registration drives between now and January.
Racism is still a key word in that effort.
JAMES MAPP, PRES., CHATTANOOGA NAACP "Racism is when those in power use that power to subject another. And this is what is happening …here in Chattanooga. "
Mapp is a veteran civil rights leader who says there’s not enough equal representation in city and county agencies.
He says there are not enough blacks on the police force,and no African American judges.
One of the leaders of the Moral Monday effort is Quenston Coleman.
QUENSTON COLEMAN, NAACP LEADERS "Black and white people worship together, they play together,they go to school together. But when you get to the part where real decisions have to be made, the power play comes into being…and they direct where the money and where the improvements and the action goes theres a whole lot of racism in Chattanooga..but we get along fine across racial lines."
DR. ELEANORA WOODS "I’m an optimist. I think when people work together and that’s the key thing..that’s why we’re here today."
"Moral Monday" organizers will set the times and places, and clear all legal hurdles for what’s called "peaceful, well orchestrated events."
The group will also provide T-shirts that are now being designed.
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