Two Stories: NAACP Picks Fourth Woman and Youngest Chair of the Board

Cnn.com
February 21, 2010 1:16 p.m. EST
New leader vows she'll bring 'new generation' to NAACP

NEW YORK (CNN) -- The new chairwoman for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, one of the oldest civil rights groups in the nation, said Sunday she'll work to bring a new generation into the organization.
Roslyn Brock, a health care executive and former NAACP vice chair, was selected to fill the seat left by Julian Bond, a civil rights leader who has held the post since 1998. Brock, 44, is the youngest person to ever serve in the position.
"I want to get the word out that the NAACP is alive and well, and that we are a multi-cultural, multi-racial organization," Brock said on CNN's "Sunday Morning."
"It is our goal to extend a broader net, to encourage all Americans who believe in life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness to come and join us."

Full Story: http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/02/21/us.naacp.leadership/index.html

Hartford Courant
JESSE WASHINGTON AP National Writer
4:35 p.m. EST, February 20, 2010

NAACP elects 44-year-old health care executive Roslyn Brock as its youngest board chairman

NEW YORK (AP) — The NAACP elected a health care executive as its youngest board chairman Saturday, continuing a youth movement for the nation's oldest civil rights organization.Roslyn M. Brock, 44, was chosen to succeed Julian Bond. She had been vice chairman since 2001 and a member of the NAACP for 25 years.Brock works for Bon Secours Health Systems in Maryland as vice president for advocacy and government relations, and spent 10 years working on health issues for the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. She joins Benjamin Todd Jealous, the 37-year-old CEO of the NAACP, as leader of the 500,000-member organization.Brock said she plans to focus on pushing for policy changes to eliminate inequality, strengthening the relationship between the national and local NAACP branches and holding people accountable."It's not always what someone is doing to us, but what we are doing for ourselves," Brock said in an interview.

Full Story: http://www.courant.com/business/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-us-naacp-election,0,3388863.story

GOP elects first black national party chairman

Breitbart.com
Jan 30 05:26 PM US/Eastern
By LIZ SIDOTI
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - Michael Steele was elected Republican National Committee chairman on Friday, defeating the incumbent party chief and three other challengers over six rounds of voting to become the first black to lead the GOP.
The former Maryland lieutenant governor takes over a beleaguered GOP as Republicans seek to rebound from back-to-back defeats in national elections that gave Democrats control of Congress and the White House.
"As a little boy growing up in this town, this is awesome," said Steele, the most moderate candidate in the field and considered an outsider because he's not a committee member.
In a brief acceptance speech, the new GOP chairman struck a tone of inclusiveness.
"We're going to say to friend and foe alike: We want you to be a part of us, we want you to with be with us, and for those who wish to obstruct, get ready to get knocked over," Steele said.
He won 91 votes out of a possible 168 in the sixth round. A simple majority of 85 was needed, but it took six rounds for Steele to win.

Full Story: http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D961N34G1