NAACP's young, new members bring energy and interest to the 90-year-old organization VIDEO CNN's Maria Hinojosa looks at how the NAACP has re-energized its membership Windows Media 28K 80K

July 15, 1999
Web posted at: 10:13 p.m. EDT (0213 GMT)

In this story: 90 years of activism RELATED STORIES, SITES

From Correspondent Maria Hinojosa

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Street activism and courthouse battles were the hallmarks of the civil rights movement of the past. And today's leaders of the NAACP say that the past may hold the key to the future.

They have backed up the words with action. Last March, NAACP President Kweisi Mfume was among those arrested while demonstrating against alleged police abuse in New York City.

"I think we've reached a point in our history as a people and as a nation that we've almost come full circle," Mfume said.

90 years of activism

For 90 years, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has pursued racial justice. Making its mark on American history, the organization has become one of the most well known black institutions.

Just as the NAACP sued to desegregate schools, it is now fighting to desegregate the ranks of Supreme Court clerks, among many new initiatives.

At the annual NAACP convention recently in New York, U.S. Vice President Al Gore praised the organization's efforts.

"Today a reinvigorated NAACP is challenging our nation to do better once again, to get guns off the streets, more role models on TV screens, more diversity in our workplace," Gore said.

In recent years, the NAACP has faced accusations that it is out of touch with the African-American community it said it represented, but there are signs that a return to the old tactics is attracting new members.

Just five years ago, only 700 young people registered for the NAACP convention. This year, several thousand registered. The leaders say the youth are invigorated by an NAACP that is speaking to their issues.

"Young people have an air of expectancy. They're excited about what's going on in the association and glad that they're not an appetizer but the main dish," said Jamal Harrison Bryant, NAACP youth director. He said the organization has 141 new college chapters.

"We also think that the hip-hop movement, which we have tried to embrace, has helped us turn the corner," he said. "In that regard, we're not there yet, but we know where we have to go, what we have to do and how we get there."

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