Jamaica Branch NAACP

The Jamaica Branch of the NAACP was organized in April 1927 by Frank Turner, former secretary to Dr. W.E.B. Dubois, with Frosty Turner, Charles Shaw, Frances Dougherty, Lora Lewis, Mabel Booth - mother of Judge William Booth - and several others, including Selena Girardeau. We remember Chester Alston, a tireless worker, and the man who organized and directed massive membership drives as he pushed the Jamaica Branch’s enrollment over the 5,000 member mark. Others who distinguished themselves in the recruitment of members included: Frances Doughtery, Isabelle Cooper, Betavious Archer, Walter Daniels and Rev. There were many leaders laboring behind the scenes, raising funds and providing the muscle that empowered the movement. Some of these notable men and women were: Msgr. Archie McLees, Lawrence Bailey, Claire Foster, Bobbie Croslin, Leonard Gould, Florence Lucas, Una Mulzac, Carita Roane, Stanley Cunningham, Neville Lake and Lawrence Cormier. The Jamaica Branch is heavily involved in combating police brutality. It created a program that assists the community to prepare and file police abuse complaints with the Civilian Complaint Review Board, demanding investigations and follow-up by the Board and the District Attorney’s office. It also assists the community in fighting false arrest charges, and was instrumental in removing three South East Queens Police Precinct Commanders (105, 105, 113) who had consistent police abuse patterns in their commands. The Branch also provides free police “Know Your Rights” workshops for community organizations and offers free legal rights workshops for the formerly incarcerated. The Branch also led the call for justice and served as courtroom monitors and observers in the trial for the police shooting death of Sean Elijah Bell. The Branch involvement in protecting the right to vote includes hosting annual candidate forums in the community for all major elections, as well as creating and implementing Election Day legal observer teams who are trained to patrol community polling sites and prevent voter irregularity. The Branch also partners with the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority to present annual voter education forums in the community.