ALBEMARLE-CHARLOTTESVILLE
NAACP
FREEDOM FUND BANQUET
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2024
Category Archives: EVENTS
ALBEMARLE-CHARLOTTESVILLE NAACP CELEBRATES FOUNDERS’ DAY
Founded on February 12th in 1909, the NAACP will be 115 years old on the 12th of FEBRUARY – and remains very relevant in today’s troubling times.
The Albemarle-Charlottesville Branch of the NAACP will celebrate FOUNDERS’ DAY on Sunday, February 11, 2024. The event will be held at Chapman Grove Baptist Church, 2064 Stony Point Road, Charlottesville, VA, 22911 and will begin at 4 pm.
Our keynote speaker for the event will be Ms. Khaliah Ali, daughter of Mohammad Ali.
THE EVENT IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
2023 FREEDOM FUND BANQUET
On Friday, December 1, 2023 the Albemarle-Charlottesville Branch of the NAACP will host its Freedom Fund Banquet at The Center at Belvedere, located at 540 Belvedere Boulevard in Charlottesville, VA. The evening will begin at 6:30 pm with a silent auction and cash bar. The program will begin at 7:00 pm with dinner served at 7:30 pm. Our keynote speaker for the evening will be Mrs. Gloria Sweet-Love, NAACP National Board Member and President of the Tennessee State Conference NAACP. The evening continues with live music and dancing.
The Freedom Fund Banquet is the major fundraising event for all branches of the NAACP! Your contributions allow us to offer valuable workshops, scholarships, and activities for both our youth and adult membership as well as for the larger community that we serve. Your generosity also makes it possible for our branch to have representation at state, regional, and national conferences where members receive valuable information and training that promote civil rights and justice for all.
We appreciate your patronage and support!
Sincerely,
Albemarle-Charlottesville NAACP Freedom Fund Committee
434-220-1493 naacp1947@gmail.com
COMMERATING THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MILITARY EXPERIENCE
JOHN HENRY JAMES MOTION
VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE INRE: JOHN HENRY JAMES CASE NO.:
MOTION
Comes now the Commonwealth’s Attorney, James Hingeley, and presents the following motion, saying as follows:
- On July 11, 1898 an African American man, John Henry James, was accused of assaulting a white woman, Julia Hotopp, in Albemarle County. The Commonwealth believes this was a false accusation.
- Following his arrest, John Henry James was placed into custody at the Albemarle County jail, but then was transferred to a jail in Staunton to protect him from a mob that was forming around the Albemarle County jail.
- On July 12, 1898 John Henry James was on a train returning from Staunton to Albemarle County when an armed and unmasked mob of white men seized Mr. James by storming the train when it slowed for a scheduled stop at Wood’s Crossing in Albemarle County.
- John Henry James was taken from the train and hanged from a nearby locust tree. After his death, the lynch mob fired dozens of bullets into Mr. James’ body. There were published reports that Mr. James professed his innocence while he was being murdered.
- At the time John Henry James was being lynched, a grand jury was meeting in Albemarle County Circuit Court to consider indicting Mr. James on the charge of assaulting Julia Hotopp. Micajah Woods, the Albemarle County Commonwealth’s Attorney, presented evidence to the grand jury.
- Despite having learned of the death of John Henry James while they were meeting, the grand jury proceeded to return a posthumous indictment charging Mr. James with rape. The indictment is attached hereto, marked as Exhibit 1.
- The indictment presented in these circumstances should be without legal effect. Nevertheless, the indictment has remained in the court record, where it stands as an official, but wholly unjust, accusation of John Henry James.
- No action of this Court can undo the injustice of the racial terror lynching that took place in Albemarle County 125 years ago, but this Court can and should purge the record that unjustly gives official credence to the charge against John Henry James.
- No action of this Court can make amends for the failures of the Albemarle County Commonwealth’s Attorney, Micajah Woods, and the Albemarle County Sheriff, Lucien
- Watts, (who was present at the lynching and could have identified people in the mob), to bring charges against the perpetrators. The perpetrators of this racial terror lynching acted with impunity because they knew that the Albemarle County authorities would not hold them accountable.
- It is in the interest of justice, healing, and restoration for the Court to make an accounting on the record disavowing the actions that caused the death of John Henry James on July 12, 1898 and acknowledging the complicity of those law enforcement officials who countenanced the racial terror lynching in Albemarle County.
- The jurisdiction of this Court is invoked under Va. Code § 17.1-513 providing that Circuit Courts shall “have original jurisdiction of all indictments for felonies.”
WHEREFORE, the Commonwealth moves this honorable Court 1) to consider such evidence as may be heard in open Court on July 12, 2023 at 4:00 p.m., 2) to strike the indictment of John Henry James from the record, and 3) to grant such other and further relief as may be appropriate.
Please note that a hearing on the motion is scheduled in Albemarle County Circuit Court on Wednesday, July 12, at 4:00 p.m., and I am hoping NAACP members will be interested in attending. July 12, 2023 is the 125th anniversary of the lynching of John Henry James. //Jim Hingeley j
James Hingeley
Commonwealth’s Attorney
410 East High Street
Charlottesville, VA 22902
(434) 972-4072
(434) 972-4073 fax
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ADVANCING CIVIL & HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE COMMUNITY
CANDIDATES’ FORUM – JUNE 12, 2023
ALBEMARLE-CHARLOTTESVILLE NAACP 7057B
CANDIDATES’ FORUM – ZOOM PRESENTATION
The Political Action Committee will be hosting a virtual candidates’ forum at the June 12th branch meeting: OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
7-7:45pm: Creigh Deeds and Sally Hudson (11th Senatorial District)
7:45-8:30pm: Amy Laufer and Kellen Squire (55th House of Delegates seat)
ZOOM LINK:
Topic: Alb-Cville NAACP’s Zoom Meeting – CANDIDATES’ FORUM
Time: Jun 12, 2023 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
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Meeting ID: 875 4481 1055
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CANDIDATES’ FORUM
- Virginia Candidates forum – May 8 –
- 54th House of Delegates confirmed participation: Katrina Carlsen, Bellamy Brown, Dave Norris.
- The forum is open to the public and will begin at 7 pm.
- Use the link below to join:
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VIRGINIA PRIMARY COMING SOON – BE PREPARED!
