The expanding circle of civil rights

Angela Jefferson

Throughout our nation's history, people and communities have faced discrimination, prejudice, racism and exclusion either because of race, religion, national origin or identity.

The NAACP of Thurston County believes that everybody deserves dignity, respect and equal protection under the law. We are committed to building a community where all people are welcomed, valued and treated with fairness and compassion. While our organization was founded to advance civil rights and eliminate racial discrimination, we proudly stand with people who are facing increased hostility and injustice. 

So, who were welcomed and always belonged here?The following is a brief history of groups who faced discrimination.

1600-1800s: Forced migration of Africans to America, enslaved people who were terrorized, legally owned by others and forced to work for free with zero hope of freedom. 

In the 1800s: Catholics and Irish immigrants, the largest wave of Irish immigration began during the Great Famine; they were mostly poor people with no resources.  Many Americans thought they were more loyal to the Pope than the president and responsible for increased crime rates.    

Late 1840-1880s: Chinese immigrants were met with violence, forced segregation, expulsion from cities and exclusionary laws to stop them from immigrating to the United States. 

1700s–1900s: Native Americans were forced from their ancestral lands, their children kidnapped and sent to boarding schools forced to assimilate to another religion. During “The Trail of Tears” 16,000 Cherokee were sent to military stockades, before being forced to march more than 800 miles from the East Coast to Oklahoma.   

Early 1900s: Jewish Americans faced antisemitism, discrimination in employment and housing, and quotas at colleges and universities after they immigrated from Eastern Europe and Russia.  

1909: The NAACP was founded during the era of Jim Crow, when African Americans faced segregation, violence and racial terror. Entire communities where Black people lived and conducted business were looted, bombed, burned (including people) and completely destroyed. 

1940s: Japanese Americans were incarcerated during World War II, solely because of their ancestry. 

1960s: The Civil Rights Movement united people across racial, religious and cultural lines. Dr. Martin Luther King stood side by side with white clergy, Jewish rabbis, Catholic priests, Protestant ministers, labor leaders, veterans, students and people of different faiths. One of the movement's chief strategists was Bayard Rustin, an openly gay Black man whose leadership and exceptional organizational skills helped make the 1963 March on Washington one of the most successful demonstrations in American history.  

After Sept. 11, 2001-present day: Anti-Muslim bias rose sharply after the terrorist attacks were carried out by al-Qaeda. During and after the covid epidemic, Asians were frequently assaulted and harassed.  The recent immigration debate has accompanied an increase in anti-immigrant rhetoric and discrimination directed at the Latino communities. LGBTQIA+ people, specifically transgender youths, are also experiencing increased hate, discrimination and violence.  

The NAACP of Thurston County welcomes anyone who believes in equality and justice. Our membership is open to every race, faith, background, every sexual orientation and every gender. We proudly welcome everyone.  Why, because every person deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. We may not all look alike, worship alike, or love alike, but we all deserve equal protection under the law, equal opportunity, and equal respect. 

As the work of the NAACP of Thurston County continues to grow, let us remember that history has repeatedly shown the consequences of excluding people because they are different. On many occasions, fear, prejudice and misunderstanding have divided communities and denied people the opportunity to fully participate in society. Every chapter of our nation's civil rights journey reminds us that progress is achieved when we stand side by side and say, “We all belong here,” as we continue working toward progress. 

Find out more about our organization, click here.

What you can do

Listen to understand different voices and perspectives. Invite and try to know neighbors or co-workers who aren’t like you or your circle of friends. 

Speak up and correct others when you witness discrimination or hate speech. 

Attend cultural and community events. 

Teach the next generation. Encourage children and youth to value kindness, fairness and respect for people of every race, religion, culture, ability and identity. 

 Angela Jefferson is a Tumwater City Council member, Retired Soldier, human resources executive with a passion for civic engagement, education, and local history.