A coalition of Black and white reformers issues a call that founds the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, timed to the centennial of Lincoln's birth.
At a Glance
- Date
- 12 February 1909
- Location
- New York, New York
- Key people
- W.E.B. Du Bois, Ida B. Wells, Mary White Ovington
- Category
- Organizations & Institutions
- Source
- NAACP founding records, February 12, 1909 · NAACP
What It Meant Then
It built the nation's most influential civil rights organization and a long-term legal strategy against Jim Crow.
What It Means Now
The NAACP remains a central force in civil rights advocacy and litigation.
Cite this page
- MLA
- “The NAACP Is Founded.” Black-History.com, 30 Sept. 2026, https://black-history.com/on-this-day/the-naacp-is-founded/.
- APA
- Black-History.com Editors. (2026, September 30). The NAACP Is Founded. Black-History.com. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/the-naacp-is-founded/
- Chicago
- Black-History.com Editors. “The NAACP Is Founded.” Black-History.com. September 30, 2026. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/the-naacp-is-founded/.
Editorial Note
By the Black-History.com editors. Last reviewed 30 September 2026. To suggest a primary source or a correction, write to editors@black-history.com or use our corrections form.