June 30, 2015
UPDATE 7/1/15: The NAACP has announced that President Barack Obama will be addressing the NAACP 106th Annual Convention Tuesday, July 14 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
“We are honored to welcome President Obama back to our NAACP national convention,” NAACP Chairman Roslyn M. Brock said in a statement. “Our members are looking forward to President Obama delivering a powerful message that reinforces our commitment to being champions for civil and human rights in the 21st century.”
This is the second time Obama will address the NAACP's Convention as President of the United States.
This year Philadelphia will host the NAACP 106th Annual Convention Saturday, July 11, through Wednesday, July 15. Over the five days of the convention, more than 5,000 people will gather for meetings, discussions and workshops to establish NAACP policies and programs of action for the upcoming year.
The convention includes regional and national NAACP planning meetings, legislative plenary sessions, discussion panels, membership luncheons and a commerce and industry show that runs the length of the convention. The commerce and industry show includes an open-call casting for ABC's "Shark Tank," a career fair, author and health pavilions and a retail expo.
NAACP board of directors Chairman Roslyn M. Brock and NAACP President and CEO Cornell William Brooks will both give keynote speeches during the convention. Additional keynote speakers include activist and theologian Rahiel Tesfamariam; President and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, MD, MBA; and American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees President Lee Saunders. Mayor Michael Nutter, Chaka Fattah and Sen. Bob Casey will also make remarks.
The convention also includes a slew of youth and college programming, including workshops and a public mass meeting at which recording artist Lyriq LaShay will perform. The 37th NAACP Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics, a yearlong achievement program for high school students, will also take place at the convention. After three days of fun-filled competition, "Black-ish" actress Yara Shahidi will speak at the ACT-SO programming Sunday, July 12.
Advanced registration for the convention is no longer available, but attendees can register on-site at the Grand Hall of Pennsylvania Convention Center starting Friday, July 10, from 2- 5 p.m. View the convention's full schedule and lineup here.
