Conclusion
Written by Mukta Pillai and Abby Frock. Edited by Jordan Biro Walters, PhD and Elora Agsten, MSLIS.
The Wooster/Orville NAACP's history reveals the connection between national movements and community activism. Across generations, community members advocated and educated each other about issues of inequality in pursuit of a more just society. Long before the establishment of a local NAACP chapter, Black residents in Wooster organized through institutions such as Second Baptist Church, where community members challenged housing discrimination and worked toward greater social and economic opportunities.
Today, the Wooster/Orrville NAACP remains active in Wayne County, continuing a tradition of community engagement, advocacy, and education that stretches back more than half a century. The organization holds annual celebrations for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Freedom Fund Banquet, and Juneteenth. The NAACP has urged Wooster schools to hire more diverse educators and update their curriculum to be more inclusive. The annual Juneteenth celebration, often in conjunction with Art of Inclusion, serves as an occasion to highlight the accomplishments of African Americans in Wooster and beyond. The celebration challenges Wayne County residents to address social and racial justice issues within their own community while celebrating liberation.
Starting in 2020, the Wooster/Orville NAACP, along with other local organizations, participated in the 1000-day Black Lives Matter rally. Public demonstrations in support of Black Lives Matter also drew counterprotests critiquing the NAACP's activism. Critiques came from a desire to see the national NAACP engage in more radical action, reflecting a broken line of communication between the organization and members of the community.
Intergenerational activism is not easy. Organizations can unwittingly isolate community members and communication can be difficult across demographics, even if everyone is fighting for the same cause. The national NAACP has historically functioned as a formal political institution. Formal political actions provide legal protection but can leave out the voices of marginalized communities and individuals. For the Wooster/Orrville NAACP, contemporary activism means moving beyond politics. NAACP member Allison Allison’s Art of Inclusion is making art as activism a reality in Wooster. The future of the Wooster/Orrville NAACP is tied to communication, organizing, and working to shift public culture. Art is one form of activism that allows legacy organizations to bridge generational and institutional gaps.
The legacy of the Wooster/Orrville NAACP reflects the enduring power of local activism and civic participation in shaping the future. For Wooster and Orrville, legacy means using art, social media, and technology to drive change and reach young community members to keep the organization thriving, growing, and relevant far into the future.
Downtown Wooster c. 2017. Image Courtesy Wikimedia Commons.
Photo from NAACP 2024 Juneteenth Celebration in Downtown Wooster. Image courtesy of Wooster/Orrville NAACP Juneteenth Gallery.
Sometimes community members and organizations can be at odds even if they are fighting for the same cause. Here, a Wooster resident counter-protests an ongoing NAACP march in 2020. Image courtesy of Allison Allison.
Allison Allison shares her experiences living in Wooster and her involvement with the NAACP and other organizations in the community.
Allison Allison stands in front of her mural at Wooster's Community Action center. Image from Ideastream Public Media, by Ryan Loew.
"It can't just be for the young, it can't just be for the old, it needs to be a mesh [the work of the NAACP]"
Allison Allison, Oral History (37:45).