The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, or
NAACP, is most often associated with the civil rights movement of the
1960s; however, it was founed in 1909, making it the oldest (and
largest) civil rights organization in the United States.
The political and legal organization was founded by such notable
citizens as WEB
DuBois and Ida
B Wells. Perhaps one of its greatest successes was the formation of
the Legal Defense and Education Fund. Through that mechanism, and
with the help of such dedicated individuals as
Thurgood
Marshall, the NAACP has had a significant impact on
ensuring the legal rights of all Americans.