Putnam NAACP Invites Residents To Understand Mission Saturday

The Cookeville/Putnam NAACP Branch wants to showcase its work in the community and how you can get involved during the Date With Diversity.

Local Chapter Secretary Geeta McMillan said the mission of the organization is to work with city and county leaders to promote racial equality.

“Everybody that believes in equality is not going to be protesting in the street and that’s not us,” McMillan said. “We are not protesting in the street. That is not our mission. I’m not going to deny that I applaud folks who do that. I believe in the squeaky wheel, but that is not the mission of the NAACP.”

McMillan said the organization also works with community organizations to help with charity and volunteer efforts. Saturday’s event will be held at the Gables Community Room at 4:30pm-7:30pm.

McMillan said the chapter believed the Saturday event was much needed after COVID got people in the habit of staying in the house.

“It’s giving us an opportunity not only to visit with each other, which has not happened a lot in the last three-plus years and open the door for folks to learn more about what we do and what our mission actually is,” McMillan said.

McMillian said that everyone is welcome at the Date With Diversity Reception and everyone is welcome in the Cookeville/Putnam NAACP.

“Yes, we do struggle and work for civil rights, particularly for our citizens of color, but we also want folks to understand this is not strictly an African American organization. We are all striving for the same thing, which is equal rights,” McMillan said.

The Cookeville/Putnam NAACP Branch began in 2015 through efforts from local African American churches. McMillian said the organization has grown since then, sitting at around 100 members. The Cookeville/Putnam NAACP Branch recently won a Branch Action Award from the State NAACP based on its work throughout the year.