When was the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) founded?

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was founded in 1909. This organization emerged as a response to the ongoing racism and discrimination that African Americans faced at the time. The founding year is significant because it places the establishment of the NAACP in the context of the early 20th century, a period marked by Jim Crow laws and widespread racial violence.

In 1909, activists and liberal whites convened in New York City to address these injustices and to advocate for civil rights through legal strategies and public pressure. The NAACP played a crucial role in the civil rights movement, focusing on issues like voting rights, education, and legal challenges to segregated public facilities.

The other dates mentioned, such as 1917, 1961, and 1954, are important years in civil rights history, but they do not mark the founding of the NAACP. For instance, 1954 is notable for the landmark Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education, which the NAACP was instrumental in pursuing, and 1961 marks the beginning of significant civil rights actions, including the Freedom Rides. However, none of these events pertain to the initiation of the organization itself.