- 14,500,000 black babies have died by abortion in the US since 1973.
- 425,000 per year and 1,200 per day.
- 62.5% of Planned Parenthood’s abortion mills are strategically located in black communities.
- Black women have 37% of the abortions, while making up only 13% of the US female population.
These statistics should cause every black pastor, leader, organization and citizen to be outraged. However, this is not the case, largely because they are unaware of this problem. That’s why Life Issues Institute and its urban outreach initiative, Protecting Black Life, is partnering with national black pro-life leaders like Dr. Alveda King, the niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, and others to educate the African American community.
Groups like the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) could use their influence to significantly address this problem. As we seek to save precious pre-born lives, we are discussing this issue with the leaders of the NAACP at the national, state and local levels. Considering the grave statistics above, we are saddened to know that, according to the organization, “the NAACP does not currently have a position on abortion.” An old adage says, “If you’re not part of the solution, then you’re part of the problem.” Several black pro-life leaders and I have joined the organization to stand up for life.
In 2004, the NAACP went public with several bold pro-abortion statements in its 1992-2003 Health Policies and Resolutions document, announcing support of the March Against Fear (a march by pro-abortion activists) in Washington, D.C. In this document, the NAACP stated:
WHEREAS, the NAACP has supported equal access to family planning materials and information since 1968 and;
WHEREAS, more than eight decades ago, the NAACP’s most distinguished founder, Dr. W.E.B DuBois understood that making birth control available to poor women helped them gain control over their lives. Every woman, he wrote in 1920, must have the right of procreation ‘at her own discretion,’ and;
WHEREAS, today, women of color seek abortion at rates higher than their percentage in the population, and overwhelmingly describe themselves as pro-choice in public opinion surveys, and
WHEREAS, on April 25, 2004, thousands of pro-choice supporters will gather in Washington, D.C. for the March Against Fear to demonstrate their support for the right to choice, and
WHEREAS, a woman denied the right to control her own body is denied equal protection of the law, a fight the NAACP has fought for and defended for nearly 100 years, and
WHEREAS, many other organizations of women of color have endorsed the March,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the NAACP adds its endorsement and support for the March Against Fear and urges all who believe in equal rights to attend on April 25, 2004 in Washington, D.C.
Source: Page 41 of the 1992-2003 Health Policies and Resolutions
In response to this official statement, two pro-life resolutions were introduced in 2004 and again in 2007. A pro-life resolution was crafted by a local NAACP chapter in Macon, Georgia requesting that the NAACP renounce their pro-abortion position and become involved in educating the black community about this problem. In 2004 and again in 2007, this pro-life resolution was approved by both the local Macon chapter and the Georgia State Chapter, but failed to pass the national resolution committee. Although the NAACP did not agree to assist in educating the black community about the abortion problem, it did reduce its position to a so-called “no policy” on abortion.
The national NAACP office said the resolution was “filled with errors, and simply inaccurate,” but could not tell me what the alleged errors were. It further stated that the Macon chapter would receive a letter from the national office, informing them why the resolution was not approved. However, at the writing of this article, the Macon, Georgia chapter had still received no letter.
Several black pro-life leaders and I attended the 98th NAACP National Convention in Detroit, MI in July 2007. Although the pro-life resolution was not approved by the resolution committee, thus preventing it from being read at the convention, Dr. Alveda King and I were successful in educating many members of the NAACP. We personally placed copies of the pro-life resolution into the hands of Julian Bond, Chairman of the Board and Dennis Hayes, Interim President and CEO, who both said they’d look into it. Pro-life material was also given to over 600 convention attendees. The recipients’ responses continually confirmed their lack of awareness of this problem. Through education, precious lives are being saved and mothers, fathers and families are avoiding the traumatic impact of abortion in their lives.
Because of our efforts, we were invited to teach a workshop at the NAACP’s Georgia State Convention Oct. 3-6, 2007. In this workshop we educated attendees on the problem of abortion in the black community, and Planned Parenthood’s targeted efforts to control and eliminate the black population through abortion. Therefore, many more African Americans are being educated and influenced toward life. We ask for your prayers and your help as we influence the NAACP’s position on abortion. Please email us and let us know your thoughts.
[Editor’s note: contact information has been updated.]