The NAACP is the country's first civil rights group; it was established in 1909. The association spearheaded the black civil rights movement during the 1920s and 1930s in the fight against wrongs like the denial of voting rights, racial violence, employment discrimination, and segregated public spaces. Although the membership has remained predominately African American, the national leadership has always been multiracial and committed to the cause of an integrated society.

From 1920 through 1950, the NAACP concentrated on five key areas: education, voting rights, employment, due process of law, and anti-lynching legislation. It promoted national participation during yearly conferences held in various cities around the nation while drawing attention to local concerns and interests.