Our Focus

  • The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and discrimination.

  • The vision of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure a society in which all individuals have equal rights and there is no racial hatred or racial discrimination.

  • The following statement of objectives is found on the first page of the NAACP Constitution – the principal objectives of the Association shall be:

    • To ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of all citizens.

    •To achieve equality of rights and eliminate racial prejudice among the citizens of the United States.

    • To remove all barriers of racial discrimination through democratic processes

    • To seek enactment and enforcement of federal, state, and local laws securing civil rights.

    •To inform the public of the adverse effects of racial discrimination and to seek its elimination.

    • To educate persons as to their constitutional rights and to take all lawful action to secure the exercise thereof, and to take any other lawful action in furtherance of these objectives, consistent with the NAACP’s Articles of Incorporation and this Constitution.

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President's Welcome

Thank you for stopping by to view our website. Since 1993, the Ames NAACP Branch has actively pursued our mission to ensure a society where all individuals have civil rights without discrimination based on race.

Our History

The Ames Branch of the NAACP was incorporated in 1993. The purposes and aims of the Branch are consistent with the National Association – to improve the political, educational, social, and economic status of minority groups; to eliminate racial prejudice; to keep the public aware of the adverse effects of racial discrimination; and to take lawful action to secure its elimination, consistent with the efforts of the national organization and in conformity with the Articles of Incorporation of the Association, its Constitution and By-Laws and as directed by the National Board of Directors.

The first monthly meeting of the Ames Branch of the NAACP was held on November 29, 1994. The application for a charter was presented at this meeting, and the first slate of officers was elected. Officers included Edna Y.  Clinton, President; Dr. George A. Jackson, First Vice President; Myron Samuels, Secretary; and Shirley Barnes, Treasurer. Dr. Jackson became president in the latter part of 1995.

The first Freedom Fund Banquet was held in 1996, and the event was held yearly through 2009. During the Banquets, the organization brought in nationally-recognized speakers and awarded student scholarships. The organization was reactivated in 2011, and the Freedom Fund Banquet was reinstituted in 2012 under Edna Y. Clinton, who served as president until 2022. Vern Hawkins then served as President from 2022-2024. The current president is Pastor Moses A. Ward, Sr. During her tenure, the Branch has been active in the state and community, hosting conversations between community members and the local police, being involved with the local school district, meeting with the Governor as it relates to prisoners and voting rights, and hosting events in cooperation with the Ames Public Library.

We remain a uniting force in the movement, coalescing together leading voices and organizations to collaborate on initiatives that bring us closer to the future we all envision.

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Our Work at a Glance

In the fall of 2011, the NAACP launched a process to develop its strategic direction and plan. Six NAACP Game Changers were developed to address the major areas of inequality. These include: · Economic Sustainability · Education · Health · Public Safety and Criminal Justice · Voting Rights and Political Representation · Expanding Youth and Young Adult Engagement. Thanks to you, the Ames Branch of the NAACP is making a difference in these areas in our community.

During 2025, We…

•  co-sponsored the Story County/Ames Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration on January 20, 2025, at the Ames City Auditorium and online. The event featured the “MLK children’s choir,” and the top three winners of the essay contest were recognized. Dr. Toyia Younger, Senior Vice President for Student Affairs at Iowa State University, provided the keynote presentation to a standing-room-only crowd.

• partnered with the League of Women Voters of Ames & Story County, KHOI 89.1 FM, and United Way of Story County to present the State of the Community event at Oakwood Church on January 24, 2025. Panelists included Senior Vice President and Provost of Iowa State University Dr. Jason Keith, City of Ames Mayor John Haila, Des Moines Area Community College President Robert Denson, Ames Community School District Superintendent Scott Grimes, Mary Greeley Medical Center President and CEO Brian Deter, and Vice Chair of the Story County Board of Supervisors Lisa Heddens.

• hosted our first Mental Health Conference on Saturday, April 26, at Friendship Baptist Church. Mental Health Clinician Breanne Ward (CRC, LMHC at ForWard Consulting LLC) was the conference's keynote speaker.

· hosted our fourth annual Ames/Story County Community Juneteenth Celebration on June 14, 2025. The Saturday event was attended by over 200 community members and included more than 20 black-owned businesses, free community resources, and entertainers. 

• co-sponsored a series of films over the summer centering on the experiences of African Americans in the United States at the Ames Public Library 

• participated in Iowa State University's Welcomefest for students on Wednesday, August 27.

• began in-person General Assemblies in September, providing the opportunity to hear from individuals such as Story County Auditor Lucy Martin and City of Ames Police Chief Geoff Huff.

• continued meetings to address the needs of black youth in the Ames Community School District (ACSD) through the NAACP Education Committee, which now meets quarterly with the Supt. Scott Grimes.

• The NAACP Health Committee) continued research and synthesized results to better understand the unique health needs of our local black community members.

• provided regular communication to members regarding community opportunities.

 

Executive Committee members also attended, participated in, and supported the following:

- Ames Building Inclusion Breakfast

- Ames Regional Economic Alliance (member)

- Ames Resident Police Advisory Committee,

- IA/NE NAACP State Conference quarterly meetings

- Iowa Summit on Justice and Disparities

- NAACP Civil Rights Advocacy Training