The NAACP has filed an amicus brief in support of the American people, fighting the Trump Administration’s efforts to reduce access to the ballot box through mail-in voting. Through the amicus brief, the NAACP isurging the United States Supreme Court to reject the Trump administration’s efforts to impose new restrictions on mail voting, a longstanding, safe, and trusted component of the nation’s electoral system. The NAACP’s brief highlights the real-world impact of the administration’s attempt to use the U.S. Postal Service as a tool to disrupt and block access to vote by mail this election season. 

“This is nothing more than a desperate, ill-advised and unconstitutional attempt to weaponize the U.S. Postal Service to deny and block voters access to vote by this mail,” said Kristen Clarke, General Counsel of the NAACP. “That’s why wehave filed litigation challenging this administration’s haphazard attempt to make it more difficult for Americans to make their voices heard this midterm cycle. We are calling on the Supreme Court to deny this administration’s attempt to leapfrog over the appellate courts to secure an outcome that would result in the mass disenfranchisement of eligible voters. We reject this administration’s voter suppression efforts and will continue fighting to protect the right to vote for every American in our country.” 

The NAACP’s brief argues that the proposed restrictions threaten access to the ballot for millions of eligible voters and would undermine a voting method relied upon by roughly one-third of Americans. The brief also warns that blocking access to mail-in voting would disproportionately burden Black voters and other historically marginalized communities who often depend on mail voting to overcome barriers to in-person voting. 

The NAACP has filed this amicus brief as part of the NAACP’s broader efforts to oppose voter suppression and defend democratic participation nationwide. The Association has consistently challenged attempts to erect barriers to voting, including efforts to limit mail voting, reduce early voting opportunities, impose burdensome voter identification requirements, and restrict access to voter registration. 

The NAACP will continue fighting in the courts, in legislatures, and in communities across the country to protect the right to vote and ensure that our democracy works for everyone. To view the brief, click here.  

September 3, 2026

Contact: Chyna Fields, cfields@naacpnet.org 

WASHINGTON  — Today, the NAACP announced the launch of a national campaign, the Roadmap to Generational Wealth, an initiative dedicated to dismantling the systemic barriers that fuel the widening racial wealth gap in America. This comprehensive program delivers a roadmap designed to equip the Black community with the tools, resources, and support necessary to build and sustain generational wealth.

The roots of the racial wealth gap have come from centuries of institutionalized racism, policy-driven discrimination, and systemic inequities that have deliberately excluded Black Americans from asset accumulation. The NAACP’s new initiative emphasizes that Black Americans must be empowered to benefit from the U.S. economy, not merely as workers and consumers, but as owners, investors, and primary drivers of their own economic progress to advance civil rights.

“This administration has defunded and dismantled policies and economic safeguards for  Black people to gain and maintain generational wealth in this country,” said Derrick Johnson, NAACP President and CEO. “We must fight to restore and expand the pathways that allow Black families to build, protect, and pass down that wealth.”

The Roadmap to Generational Wealth delivers a multi-layered framework:

• Financial Education and Literacy
• Savings 
• Credit
• Post-Secondary Education
• Employment and Career Advancement
• Investments 
• Homeownership
• Estate Planning
• Retirement Plans

Get the Roadmap

“We fight for the rights of Black and Brown people to have strict policies put into place for the security of generational wealth,” said Keisha Bross, Director, NAACP Center for Opportunity, Race and Justice. “This means the creation, protection, and implementation of policy and legislation that drives opportunity. We will provide families with insight and plans to build generational wealth for years to come.”

The launch of this initiative marks a pivotal point in the fight for civil rights and economic justice, on the heels of our recent leadership in the 2026 March on Washington. The NAACP is continuing the impact by laying the groundwork for a future where Black wealth is protected and passed down through generations. To learn more about the Roadmap to Generational Wealth campaign and how to access these resources, visit naacp.org. 

The NAACP launched an investigation into the U.S. Department of Justice’s plans to deploy over 1000 personnel to polling places during the 2026 midterm election cycle. 

The NAACP filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the Department’s Civil Rights Division requesting records concerning the legal authority of the Civil Rights Division to deploy election monitors to investigate “vote fraud,” a list of all jurisdictions where the Department plans to send election monitors, training materials for monitors, any information on the qualifications to serve as an election monitor, information on the Department’s plans to adhere to state laws that prohibit or restrict the activity of monitors, and more.

Kristen Clarke, NAACP General Counsel, shared the following statement:

“Voter intimidation tactics are unacceptable and an affront to our democracy. The ability to cast a ballot, free from fear or harassment by government officials, is a basic civil right. We will not stand by idly as this administration orchestrates a scheme to suppress voting rights and discourage voter participation through mass deployment of federal election monitors. At every turn, this administration has shut down voting rights cases, filed baseless lawsuits, and worked to restrict access to the ballot. All eligible voters have the right to cast their ballot free from fear or harassment by a federal government that is bent on denying voters access to the polls this election season.”

This request follows the DOJ’s recent deployment of election monitors to nearly a dozen polling locations across America during this year’s primary elections – and in some cases – with little to no notice to the public. Courts have recognized that unnecessary law enforcement and government presence at polling sites can cause fear, create confusion, impose burdens on election officials, and have a chilling or coercive effect on voters.

The NAACP remains committed to empowering voters and fighting against voter intimidation and disenfranchisement at every level. We continue our work to ensure justice and to prevent federal overreach intended to keep eligible voters away from the ballot box. For more information, visit naacp.org. The full request letter is available here.

NAACP Albemarle-Charlottesville Branch

PO Box 6205

Charlottesville, VA 22906

OUR PHYSICAL ADDRESS REMAINS THE SAME:

703 CONCORD AVENUE

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA 22903

August 27, 2026

MEDIA CONTACTS
press@lawyerscommittee.org

communications@naacpnet.org

WASHINGTON – The NAACP, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Common Cause, and Black Voters Matter filed new claims in federal court today in their lawsuit against the president’s executive order on mail-in voting. The new filing challenges a rule issued recently by the United States Postal Service (USPS) imposing new, illegal restrictions on mail-in voting.

The new rule will disrupt mail voting, override state election laws, and could disenfranchise millions of eligible voters — including Black voters and other voters of color, seniors, rural residents, voters with disabilities, and military personnel overseas — just months before the November election.

“Our democracy is under attack. No federal entity should be allowed to implement last-minute rules that disenfranchise voters and override state election laws. This new USPS rule is a direct assault on the fundamental freedoms of millions of Americans — particularly Black voters, communities of color, seniors, military members, and rural residents — just weeks before a critical election,” said Derrick Johnson, NAACP president and CEO. “We will not stand idly by while the voices of the people are silenced. We must protect every eligible citizen’s right to cast their ballot.”

“These mail-in ballot restrictions threaten to disenfranchise millions of eligible voters who rely on mail voting to participate in our democracy while balancing work, caregiving responsibilities, disabilities, and other realities of daily life. The Trump administration is trying to limit access to the ballot, sow confusion at the polls and to use the ensuing chaos as an excuse to exert power over agencies and processes in a politicized way,” said Damon Hewitt, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. “We will not let this or any administration further undermine our democratic process. We will fight to ensure our elections are free and fair, and that eligible voters are not shut out — especially Black voters and other voters of color, who are frequently targeted by voter suppression schemes.” 

“Mail-in voting is so safe that even the president has used it twice this year,” said Virginia Kase Solomón, Common Cause president and CEO. “The Postal Service exists to deliver our mail, not to be weaponized by this administration to silence voters.Common Cause will keep fighting to protect a democracy where people choose their leaders — not the other way around.”

“Mail-in voting gives people the freedom and flexibility to participate in our democracy, and we should be honest about what these efforts to restrict it are really doing: creating barriers to the ballot under the guise of election security. We are not fooled. This is the same old playbook — manufacture confusion, create unnecessary hurdles, and chip away at voting access,” said Cliff Albright and LaTosha Brown, co-founders of Black Voters Matter Fund. “When the same politicians who defend their own access to mail-in voting move to restrict that access for others, the hypocrisy is hard to ignore. We cannot allow voter suppression to be repackaged as voter protection or allow political interference to determine who gets to participate and whose voice counts. This is not about making democracy more secure; it is about reshaping who can fully participate in it. We will continue to call these efforts what they are and fight for every eligible voter’s freedom to make their voice heard.” 

The coalition originally challenged the administration’s executive order in April, but a federal judge paused the case because the postal restrictions weren’t active yet. Now that the USPS rule is final, the groups are updating their lawsuit to directly target these mail-in voting restrictions and ask the judge to put the rule on hold immediately.

The amended complaint argues that the Postal Service has no legal authority to regulate elections, and that its new rules threaten ballot access for millions of Americans, including military personnel serving overseas.

A  study of the 2024 election found that, in 32 states, absentee voting accounted for approximately 31 percent of votes cast, with nearly 2 million Black voters, nearly 3 million Asian voters, and over 4 million Hispanic voters in those states relying on mail-in voting to participate in the election.

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WASHINGTON — The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is deeply alarmed by reports concerning the deteriorating living conditions, prolonged deployment, declining morale, and serious mental health challenges facing thousands of Sailors and Marines serving aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72).

Recent reporting indicates that the USS Abraham Lincoln has now been deployed for approximately 265 days, after departing San Diego on November 21, 2025. The carrier’s deployment, originally expected to conclude months ago, has reportedly been extended twice. During this extraordinary period, the crew has experienced only two brief port calls, with reports documenting a period of more than 200 consecutive days without a meaningful port visit.

More disturbing are accounts from service members and their families describing moldy showers, broken toilets and laundry facilities, extended periods without hot water, shortages of basic hygiene products, inadequate meals, disrupted mail service, excessive working hours, and worsening mental health conditions.

Multiple news organizations have also reported incidents involving Sailors who allegedly attempted to go overboard. While Navy officials have disputed reports suggesting an increase in suicidal behavior, the accounts coming from Sailors and military families demand immediate attention, transparency, and independent review.

Our service members are not expendable.

The NAACP views the treatment and well-being of America’s service members as a fundamental issue of civil rights, human dignity, equal treatment, and national responsibility. Black Americans have served in every major American conflict while historically fighting a second battle for dignity, equality, adequate medical treatment, recognition, and fair treatment within the Armed Forces.

That history matters today.

Black Sailors, other Sailors of color, women, and members of historically marginalized communities are among the nearly 5,000 Sailors and Marines serving aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. The NAACP is deeply concerned about how prolonged isolation, inadequate living conditions, shortages of necessities, operational exhaustion, and barriers to adequate mental health care may affect these populations.

The federal government has an obligation not simply to send America’s sons and daughters into harm’s way, but to safeguard their health, dignity, and well-being while they serve.

The NAACP has fought for generations for equality of treatment and opportunity within the United States Armed Forces. Our advocacy helped advance the principles ultimately embodied in President Harry S. Truman’s Executive Order 9981, which declared equality of treatment and opportunity in the Armed Forces regardless of race, color, religion, or national origin.

Those principles cannot stop at recruitment.

Equality in military service must also mean equal access to safe living conditions, adequate nutrition, sanitation, medical and mental health care, rest, communication with family, and leadership that recognizes the humanity of the people carrying out the mission.

A Navy Veteran’s Perspective

NAACP Life Member, Dr. Antwanisha Williamson, Chair of the California-Hawaii State Conference NAACP Armed Services and Veterans Affairs Committee and a U.S. Navy combat veteran, understands the consequences of prolonged operations at sea firsthand.

In 2003, while serving aboard the USS Carl Vinson, Dr. Williamson and her fellow Sailors completed a nine-month deployment that included more than 100 consecutive days at sea. She recalls shortages of food and basic consumable necessities, including toilet paper, along with significant deterioration in crew morale and serious mental health challenges among service members.

“I have lived a version of what these Sailors are experiencing. After more than 100 consecutive days at sea, we saw what isolation, exhaustion, shortages, uncertainty, and separation from family could do to people. We watched morale deteriorate. We watched people struggle mentally. And we were at sea for a fraction of the uninterrupted period these Sailors have reportedly endured.

“These are not numbers on a deployment schedule. These are mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, spouses, and human beings who raised their hands and swore an oath to defend this country. Their willingness to serve does not give our government permission to disregard their basic needs or their humanity.

“I want every Sailor and Marine aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, especially our Black service members and other service members of color, to know this: we see you, we hear your families, and the NAACP will continue fighting for you.“

Civil Rights and Military Readiness Are Not Competing Priorities

Protecting service members is not inconsistent with military readiness. Protecting service members is essential to military readiness.

A Sailor who is chronically exhausted, inadequately nourished, isolated from family, unable to access basic necessities, or experiencing an untreated mental health crisis cannot reasonably be expected to maintain peak operational readiness indefinitely.

This is particularly concerning during active military operations, when the United States depends upon highly trained service members to make consequential decisions under extraordinary pressure.

The NAACP therefore rejects any suggestion that raising concerns about conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln undermines the military mission. Demanding safe conditions, adequate resources, mental health support, and accountable leadership strengthens our Armed Forces.

NAACP Calls for Immediate Federal Action

The NAACP calls upon Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Department of the Navy leadership, Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao, congressional Armed Services leadership, and the Administration to take immediate action.

We call for:

1. Immediate operational relief for the Sailors and Marines aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, including implementation of the earliest safe rotation and return plan possible.
2. A comprehensive independent investigation into reported food, water, sanitation, hygiene, maintenance, mail, staffing, workload, and mental health conditions aboard the carrier.
3. An immediate mental health assessment and surge of confidential mental health resources, with protections to ensure that service members can seek help without unnecessary stigma, retaliation, or fear that asking for help will automatically destroy their military careers.
4. A demographic and equity review examining whether Black service members, other service members of color, women, junior enlisted personnel, and other potentially vulnerable populations have experienced disparate effects in access to resources, medical and mental health services, disciplinary responses, assignments, or opportunities for relief.
5. Transparent communication with military families, who should not have to depend upon news reports and informal communications to understand the health and safety conditions facing their loved ones.
6. Congressional oversight of extended naval deployments, including examination of maximum deployment lengths, consecutive days at sea, port-call requirements, mental health safeguards, logistical sustainability, and command accountability.
7. Protection against retaliation for Sailors, Marines, family members, whistleblowers, or others who report unsafe conditions or seek mental health treatment.

We Cannot Ask Them to Defend Freedom While Ignoring Their Own Rights

For more than a century, the NAACP has fought to ensure that Black Americans and other marginalized communities receive the rights, dignity, protection, and opportunity promised by this nation. That commitment has always included the men and women who wear America’s uniform.

Black service members have fought in every American war, often while confronting discrimination within the very institutions they served.

Our nation cannot celebrate their patriotism while remaining silent when service members report that their basic physical and psychological needs are not being met.

The NAACP stands with the Sailors and Marines aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. We stand with their spouses, their children, their parents, and every military family waiting for someone they love to come home.

Service is a sacrifice. It should never require the sacrifice of basic human dignity.

We call upon federal and Navy leadership to act with urgency.

Relieve these Sailors. Investigate these conditions. Protect their mental health. Support their families. And bring them home safely.

The strength of America’s military will never be measured solely by the ships we deploy, the weapons we possess, or the missions we accomplish.

It will also be measured by how this nation treats the people we ask to carry out those missions.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 17, 2026

Contact: communications@naacpnet.org 

WASHINGTON — The NAACP’s Office of General Counsel today announced that it is joining the legal team surrounding the death of Nolan Wells, a young Black man who died under circumstances that remain insufficiently explained.  
 

“We’re taking up this fight to search for truth and to demand transparency concerning the tragic death of Nolan Wells,” said Kristen Clarke, General Counsel of the NAACP. “Our investigation will be victim-focused, community-based and sensitive to the ongoing pain felt by Nolan Wells’ family and his community. Drawing on the Association’s long history of pushing for full and fair investigations when Black lives are lost under suspicious circumstances, we will bring additional investigative and legal resources to bear and ensure that no stone is left unturned in the quest for truth and accountability for Nolan’s family.” 

For more than a century, the NAACP has challenged systems that fail to fully investigate and account for the deaths of Black people, particularly when early explanations leave families and communities with more questions than answers. The Association’s legal work has consistently centered on ensuring that law enforcement and government officials exercise the full force of their authority to uncover the truth and deliver justice. 

“The world is watching, and Nolan Wells’ family deserves a thorough accounting of what happened,” said Derrick Johnson, President & CEO of the NAACP. “Too often, the deaths of young Black people are dismissed, downplayed, or inadequately investigated unless we demand answers. Our involvement in this case is part of our ongoing commitment to make sure those answers are pursued with urgency and respect for Black lives.” 
 

As part of its role, the NAACP’s Office of General Counsel will work alongside the Wells legal team, which includes civil rights attorney Ben Crump, to press for comprehensive fact-finding, advocate for transparency from relevant authorities, and support efforts to ensure that Nolan’s family receives the information and accountability they are due. 

At the 117th NAACP National Convention in Chicago last month, Nolan Wells’ family, the NAACP, and attorney Crump announced the results of an independent autopsy.

The autopsy’s findings that Nolan Wells’ manner of death remains undetermined underscores the importance of a thorough and transparent investigation. 
 

That concern is not unique to this case. According to the CDC’s National Violent Death Reporting System published in 2022, Black males experienced the highest rate of deaths classified as being of undetermined intent among males, at 5.8 deaths per 100,000 population. This troubling disparity highlights why unanswered questions surrounding deaths involving young Black men cannot be met with silence or delay, and why families deserve complete transparency and accountability from those charged with investigating them. 
 

As the search for answers continues, the NAACP Office of General Counsel remains committed to pursuing every available avenue to uncover the truth surrounding Nolan Wells’ death. The Association will stand with Wells’ family in demanding transparency, accountability, and a complete investigation, while continuing its long-standing fight to ensure that no Black life is overlooked, or dismissed. 

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