About Us
The Caroline County Maryland branch of the NAACP, General Membership meetings are held on the fourth Tuesday of the month at 7pm in Denton, MD. For further details, Contact Us.
National Mission
NAACP mission is to achieve equity, political rights and social inclusion by advancing policies and practices that expand human and civil rights, eliminate discrimination, and accelerate the well being, education, and economic security of Black people and all persons of color.
Vision
We envision an inclusive community rooted in liberation where all persons can exercise their civil and human rights without discrimination.
Objectives
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 race 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.
Officers
President: Dr. Willie G. Woods
1st Vice President: Sherone Lewis
2nd Vice President: Wanda Molock
Secretary: Alfreda Dennis-Bowyer
Assistant Secretary: Stephanie Kellum
Treasurer: Janet Fountain
Executive Committee Members:
Ezola Webb, Patrice Flamer, Doretha Coursey, Berl Lovelace, Darlene Lovelace, Norma Robinson, Terenda Thomas, A. Michele Wayman
Top, L-R: Dr. Willie G. Woods, Sherone Lewis, Wanda Molock, Darlene Lovelace, Janet Fountain.
Bottom, L-R: Norma Robinson, Ezola Webb, Doretha Coursey, Berl Lovelace.
Awards Banquet State Conference 2023
L-R Lewis, Webb, Woods, Molock
Branch Committees
Executive
Chairperson, Dr. Willie G. Woods
Membership
Co-Chairpersons, Doretha Coursey and Sherone Lewis
Health
Chairperson, Wanda Molock
Youth
Chairperson, Patrice Flamer
Assistant Chairperson, Darlene Lovelace
Education
Chairperson, Terenda Thomas
Communication
Chairperson, Ezola Webb
Freedom Fund Committee
Chairperson, Alfreda Dennis-Bowyer
Political Action / Social Action
Co-Chairpersons, Sherone Lewis & Wanda Molock
Legal Redress
TBD, as needed
Our Youth membership
President's Message
Dr. Willie G. Woods
Welcome to the website of the Caroline County Branch 7013 of the NAACP.
We are located on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, the Mid-Shore Region, and are one of more than 2,200 NAACP units across the nation. Based in Ridgely, our branch proudly serves communities across the county – Denton, Federalsburg, Preston, Greensboro, Marydel, and all points in between. We are the home of grassroots advocacy, activism, and knowledge-sharing for civil rights and social justice in Caroline County.
Through this website, we will provide pertinent information to our members and guests related to activities, initiatives, policies, and goals of this, our local NAACP branch, as well as highlight aspects of the NAACP Maryland State Office and the NAACP National Office.
Thanks for visiting our website. We invite you to peruse our website to learn more about our mission, programs, and ways you can get involved and/or support our efforts.
Yours in service,
Willie G. Woods, PhD, President
NAACP Caroline County Branch 7013-B
Branch History
Caroline County Branch 7013-B, located on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, is a local NAACP branch of a nation-wide grassroots, activism group for civil rights and social justice.
The Caroline County Branch was chartered January 6, 1947. The County’s application for admission to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was passed by the Association’s Board of Directors on that January date at its Board Meeting in New York City.
Signed by Dr. Louis T. Wright, Chairman of the Board, and Walter White, Executive Secretary, the Charter was granted on the condition that the Branch will “endeavor to the best of its ability to cooperate . . . in furtherance of the Association’s object, namely:
Local ministers present at our 2015 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Breakfast.
"To uplift the colored men and women of this country by securing to them the full enjoyment of their rights as citizens, justice in all courts, and equality of opportunity everywhere."
Branch members attend a Federalsburg Town Council meeting in 2023 to advocate for voting rights compliance and election reform.
Over the years, we have been actively engaged in activities such as voter registration, voter education, voter mobilization, and get-out-the-vote initiatives; hosting and/or supporting programs and events that amplify the achievements and contributions to this county and country by Blacks and other persons of color; advocating for legislation and practices to correct instances of systematic unfairness regarding civil rights, social justice, and economic opportunity.
Caroline County has the distinction of being the county where the first female national president of the NAACP, Dr. Enolia Pettigen McMillan, began her career in teaching in 1927, teaching at what was then called the Denton Colored High School.
Recent Accomplishments
In 2023, we successfully worked with the ACLU and others for voting rights compliance and election reform in Federalsburg, resulting in the election of the Town's first Black Councilmembers in its 200-year-history.
In 2022, we conducted a year-long observance of the Branch’s 75th Anniversary, beginning in January with Certificates of Special Recognition from the County Commissioners and from U.S. Senator Ben Cardin.
Mayor Abner administers the Federalsburg Town Council oath to Darlene Hammond and Brandy James, respectively, on October 2, 2023.
Community celebration of the dedication of the Thomas Carney Historical Marker in Denton on April 30, 2022. Photo by Christine Allison.
The observance culminated in November with the Branch’s Annual Freedom Fund Banquet. In attendance were four branch presidents – Tindley Pinder (who served during the 1970s*), Terenda Thomas (who served during the 1980s*), Berl Lovelace (immediate past president who served 2005 to 2021), and Dr. Willie G. Woods, current branch president, serving since 2021.
One state president, Walter Black, and several area branch presidents were also in attendance.
In 2022, we collaborated with the Benson Chapter of DAR and others to commemorate Thomas Carney, a local Black Revolutionary War hero, with a historical marker placed in Denton.
Visit Press Coverage for more on these topics and others, including our annual Freedom Fund Program.
*Dates of service are approximate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q:
How does one become a member of the NAACP?
Anyone who supports the mission of the NAACP, irrespective of race, religion, political affiliation, or ideology, can become a member of the Association. Members can affiliate with the local youth, college, or adult unit/branch in their area.
For the Caroline County Branch, complete the NAACP Membership form, noting the Unit Name/Number as Caroline County 7013-B and pay the appropriate dues level.
Membership forms may be secured by contacting the Branch Membership Chair at 410-479-0952, by requesting a form using the Branch postal address (NAACP Caroline County Branch, P.O. Box 280, Ridgely, MD 21660), by picking up a form at Branch events, or by completing and submitting the information electronically (when available.)
Q:
What does the abbreviation “NAACP” stand for?
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
Q:
What is the purpose of the Caroline County Branch of the NAACP?
The purpose of the Caroline County Branch is to advance the NAACP mission as expressed in the NAACP Mission Statement: To achieve equity, political rights, and social inclusion by advancing policies and practices that expand human and civil rights, eliminate discrimination, and accelerate the well-being, education, and economic security of Black people and all persons of color.
Q:
When was the NAACP established?
The NAACP, a civil rights organization, was formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for Blacks and for all persons of color in this country by a group including W.E.B. Du Bois, Mary White Ovington, Moorfield Storey, Ida B. Wells, a constitutional lawyer, and others.
The Caroline County Branch was chartered January 6, 1947.
Q:
What are some recent activities of the Caroline County Branch NAACP?
In recent years the branch has:
Sponsored annually — except for the cancellation during the pandemic — a Freedom Fund Banquet as its key fundraiser and to honor distinguished achievements of local residents;
Collaborated to achieve election reform in Federalsburg and the historic election of the town’s first Black town council members;
Partnered with placing the historic marker of Thomas Carney, an African American Revolutionary War hero, placed on the courthouse grounds in Denton;
Facilitated the Women’s History Month display with the County Library on Women of Color Making a Difference: Blazing New Trails – Forging New Pathways;
Sponsored for enlightenment several educational tours to sites such as Harriet Tubman Museum and the Harriet Tubman Welcome Center, the Bill Pickett Black Rodeo;
Been a supporting sponsor of the Annual MLK Day Program and Unity March
Been an ongoing supporter of the Annual Hannah Henry Day and the street renaming in her honor;
... and more, to name a few.
Q:
What should I do if I want to report a discrimination complaint to the NAACP branch?
To file a complaint of discrimination or other civil rights injustice to the NAACP Caroline County Branch, you need to:
Fill out the NAACP Complaint Form for Caroline County. The form is available on our Get Involved page.
Once filled out and signed, submit it via email or send to the address provided on the form.
Submit the completed form to the branch within 30 days of the act of discrimination when possible.
Q:
What happens after a discrimination complaint report is submitted to the branch?
The branch will contact you to acknowledge receipt of the report, refer the complaint to the branch Legal Redress Committee which will investigate your complaint.
The NAACP does not give legal advice. Based on findings from the investigation, the branch will provide feedback on your claim, make referrals if necessary, assist in connecting you with appropriate services, and may provide other support for your claim.
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