Page 154 - Swann Galleries - Printed & Manuscript African Americana- Sale 2308 - March 21, 2013

273 ● (CIVIL RIGHTS—NAACP.)
National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People.
Second Annual Report. January1,
1912. 16 pages. Narrow 12mo, original
printed self-wrappers, stapled. A fine copy.
New York, 1912 [400/600]
SCARCE SECOND ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
NAACP, founded in 1910 by a group of reform-
ers led by W.E. B. Du Bois, Mary White
Ovington, Moorfield Storey, Oswald Garrison
Villard and a group of ministers, the purpose of
the association was “To uplift the colored men
and women of this country by securing for them
the full enjoyment of their rights as citizens,
justice in all courts, and equality of opportunity
everywhere.” We could find no copy of this, or
any of the first 5 years of annual reports.
274 ● (CIVIL RIGHTS—NAACP.)
OVINGTON, MARY WHITE. Charter
to the Members of the Reading Pa.
Branch of the National Association
for the Advancement of Colored
People. Their official charter, 20 x 14
inches, SIGNED BY MARY WHITE OVING-
TON AND JOHN SHILADY, BOTH FOUNDERS
OF THE NAACP some chipping along the
edges; paper evenly toned with a darker
spot along the blank portion near the top;
quite fragile, needs de-acidification and
conservation.
[New York,] 1919 [2,000/3,000]
A very rare, early charter for the Reading,
Pennsylvania branch of the NAACP. The par-
ent organization was only eight years old at
this time. Both Mary White Ovington and
John Shilady were among the original founders.
Ovington was white, and Shilady black.
Shilady was prominent in the fight against
lynching. The latter was very much in the news
in the summer of 1919, called the “red sum-
mer” for all of the blood shed in the numerous
“race riots” in July and August. There were
just 300 branches nationwide. as of 1919.
273
274