Elder Gerard Addresses NAACP National Convention

Elder Jack N. Gerard, a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, announced expanded collaboration between the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Church at the organization’s 109th annual national meetings held in San Antonio, Texas, Sunday evening, July 15, 2018.

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“Local members of each organization are cosponsoring an education and employment initiative to truly increase opportunity among our brothers and sisters whom we identify together,” said Elder Gerard.

"I'm pleased to announce that we will together launch an education and employment initiative with an eye towards national impact beginning in cities like Baltimore, Maryland; Atlanta, Georgia; and Camden, New Jersey," Elder Gerard told the audience. "We envision joint NAACP and LDS activities and projects all over this nation. We do not intend to be a flash in the pan; that is not our style, and we know it's not yours."

Speaking before several thousand people in the Henry B. González Convention Center adjacent to the famed San Antonio River Walk, this marked the first time a General Authority of the Church has spoken at an NAACP national convention.

“I am thrilled to be part of this annual convention whose wise purpose is to ‘establish policies and programs of action’ just as God would have us do. For us, as also for many of you, ‘God is love,’ and loving God means loving and serving each other,” said Elder Gerard.

The initiative will include the use of professionally developed and proven training course materials to be taught in different locations of worship and community centers. Members of the two organizations along with those of other faiths and course graduates will instruct.

Courses will include finding a better job, gaining a better education and income, personal finances and entrepreneurship, such as starting and growing one’s own business. The announcement follows on the heels of a press conference held in Salt Lake City in May of this year between the First Presidency of the Church and the national leadership of the NAACP where both groups called for greater civility and racial harmony.

At that meeting Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP, called the Church “a partner who seeks to pursue harmony and civility within our community… [with whom] I am proud to stand here today to open up a dialog to seek ways of common interest to work towards a higher purpose.”

Church President Russell M. Nelson stated in May that the two groups would “explore ways — such as education and humanitarian service — in which our respective members and others can serve and move forward together, lifting our brothers and sisters who need our help, just as the Savior, Jesus Christ, would do.”

“I was definitely one of those folks wondering why are we going to Utah,” said Karen Boykin-Towns, vice-chair of the NAACP board of directors. “Our visit and our meeting [were] surprisingly impactful and groundbreaking. And despite our reservations, we left that historic meeting with a better understanding of each other's history and the desire to acknowledge the past and move forward to work together for the common good.”

Leon W. Russell, chairman of the NAACP board of directors, spoke at Sunday’s mass meeting and introduced Elder Gerard.

Russell said the NAACP’s relationship with the Church is still developing as they share common ground with the Church on the issues of equality, human rights and civility. “It's not about theology; it's not about philosophy. It's about helping people. I'm very happy that we are going to work on those elements.”

“We look forward to working closely with them and see them as a shared partner with shared values and equal interest and blessing the Lord's children,” said Elder Gerard.

Also participating at the national convention was the Debra Bonner Unity Gospel Choir (formerly Genesis Choir) of Salt Lake City who performed three separate times at the meetings, including a spirited rendition of "Calvary" sung just prior to Elder Gerard’s remarks.

Read Elder Gerard's full transcript here.