The NAACP Maryland State Conference (NAACP MSC) is the Maryland branch of the national NAACP. It advocates for assorted left-of-center policy positions, including environmental legislation in Maryland that would force the closure of coal and gas power plants, force the closure of incinerators, and enact tighter vehicle emissions standards. ¹

NAACP MSC supports increasing voter turnout in the Black community, amplifies claims that economic differences between white and Black communities come from, “decades of discriminatory policies and nearly three centuries of slavery,” ² advocates for redistribution of wealth to increase access to healthcare, ³ and pushes the narrative that the “criminal justice system is shaped by biased policing and unfair judicial precedents, rooted in anti-Blackness and racial disparity.” ⁴

Activities

Environmental and Climate Justice Committee

The NAACP Maryland State Conference created the Environmental and Climate Justice Committee to push legislation that would increase Maryland’s reliance on weather-dependent energy like wind and solar and force coal and gas power plants to be closed. The NAACP MSC states the committee was created because “Black and Brown communities suffer first and worst from the effects of climate change and environmental racism: polluted water, toxic air, disappearing landscapes, housing and schools within yards of incinerators and highways, puts our people into harm’s way.” ⁵

The legislative priorities of the Environmental and Climate Justice Committee are transportation, air pollution, environmental racism, energy equity, flood risk, heat, and incinerators. The committee wants tighter regulations on vehicle emissions and a push towards electric vehicles stating that vehicle pollution harms Black communities more than any other community. The committee wants the five coal and gas power plants in Prince George’s County, Maryland to be closed because that county has a majority Black population that is being disproportionately harmed by the plants. The committee states that “47 out of Maryland’s 50 sacrifice zones, areas with high levels of pollution and environmental hazards, are located in communities of color.” ⁶

The committee also states that low-income communities are less likely to have access to solar panels, so they are unable to benefit from green energy sources. It claims rising sea levels in Maryland hurt Black and low-income communities because tenants do not have the right to retrofit disaster-resilient features on homes they rent. The committee agrees with forecasts that claim that Maryland will experience 40 days of dangerous heat levels every year, suggesting those heat levels will increase the harmful effects of pollution in the state. It also states that, “Nearly 80% of incinerators are located in ‘environmental justice’ communities – meaning that they are disproportionately located near communities of color and people with higher than average rates of poverty.” ⁶

Controversy

2024 Scandal

In 2024, the NAACP suspended four individuals from the NAACP Maryland State Conference. This included president Kobi Little, treasurer Joshua Harris, assistant secretary Anwar Young, and assistant treasurer Shawnna Stringfellow. ⁷

According to WBALTV, in a letter to the national NAACP, members of the NAACP Maryland State Conference alleged that the president and other individuals were misusing funds, bullying other members and, “conducting [operations] as a dictatorship and refusing to carry motions that have been seconded.” ⁷ On September 16, 2024, the national NAACP released a statement stating, “After thoroughly reviewing the submitted documents, it was concluded that an immediate suspension was warranted.” ⁸

1. “About MD State Conference.” MD STATE CONFERENCE. Accessed November 11, 2024. http://www.naacpmaryland.org/about-md-state-conference.html#/.
2. “Inclusive Economy.” NAACP. Accessed November 11, 2024. https://naacp.org/issues/inclusive-economy.
3. “Health & Well-Being.” NAACP. Accessed November 11, 2024. https://naacp.org/issues/health-wellbeing.
4. “Race & Justice.” NAACP. Accessed November 11, 2024. https://naacp.org/issues/race-justice
5.  “About Us .” NAACP MDECJ. Accessed November 11, 2024. https://www.naacpmdecj.org/about-us.
6.  “Legislative Priorities.” NAACP MDECJ. Accessed November 11, 2024. https://www.naacpmdecj.org/legislative-priorities.
7. Clark, Tommie. “Members Allege Misuse of Funds by Baltimore City NAACP Branch.” WBALTV, September 17, 2024. https://www.wbaltv.com/article/allegations-surface-baltimore-city-branch-naacp/62246478.
8. “Statement from NAACP Regarding the Maryland State Conference.” NAACP, September 16, 2024. https://naacp.org/articles/statement-naacp-regarding-maryland-state-conference.