---
title: HR 188. NAACP National Office; commend
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hr188
cite_as: HR 188, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr188
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr188.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr188/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70001
date: 2025-02-05
status: passed
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr187.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr189.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 131
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr188.md?full=1
bill_number: HR 188
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: resolution
status_date: 2025-02-05
last_action: House Read and Adopted
sponsors:
  - Teddy Reese
  - Carolyn Hugley
  - Lydia Glaize
  - Omari Crawford
  - Phil Olaleye
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR188/2025
upstream_id: 1958324
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - NAACP
  - civil rights history
  - legislative commendation
  - Georgia House resolution
---

# HR 188. NAACP National Office; commend

## Text

House Resolution 188
By: Representatives Reese of the 140th, Hugley of the 141st, Glaize of the 67th, Crawford of
the 89th, and Olaleye of the 59th
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing and commending the NAACP National Office; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS, the NAACP National Office was founded on February 12, 1909, and its
network has since grown to more than 2,000 branches of adults, youth, and college members,
serving as an organization seeking justice and equality; and
WHEREAS, it is appropriate that the members of this legislative body recognize those
organizations that have rendered outstanding service for the betterment of our communities;
and
WHEREAS, the NAACP is one such organization, through which many cities across the
United States have witnessed excellence in education, business, public policies, and political
representation achieved by hundreds of thousands of its dedicated members; and
WHEREAS, in 1941, Dr. Ralph Mark Gilbert, Pastor of the First African Baptist Church of
Savannah, convened about ten branches including Savannah, Brunswick, Dublin, Atlanta,
Columbus, Macon, Albany, and about three others to form the NAACP Georgia State
Conference, which quickly grew to 40 branches and one college chapter; and
WHEREAS, the NAACP Georgia State Conference has now grown to 134 adult branches
and 183 youth and college division units led by its executive committee and general
membership under the direction of Georgia NAACP President Attorney Gerald Griggs,
National NAACP Board Members Edward DuBose and David Walker, and Executive
Director Tonza S. Thomas; and
WHEREAS, today, as the NAACP National Office celebrates its 116th year, it is abundantly
fitting and proper to honor its continued fight for social justice to ensure that racial hatred
and discrimination are eradicated from our society.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that
the members of this body recognize and commend the NAACP National Office upon the
grand occasion of its 116th anniversary and extend sincere best wishes for continued success.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized
and directed to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to the
NAACP National Office.

## Summaries written by Georgia Commons

The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary.

A Georgia House resolution commends the NAACP National Office on its 116th anniversary and recognizes the history of the NAACP Georgia State Conference.

### Plain-language summary

This is a ceremonial resolution from the Georgia House of Representatives, not a change to state law. It recognizes the NAACP National Office, founded in 1909, on the occasion of its 116th anniversary.
The resolution recounts the history of the NAACP Georgia State Conference, which began in 1941 when Dr. Ralph Mark Gilbert of Savannah convened about ten branches and which has since grown to 134 adult branches and 183 youth and college division units. The resolution formally commends the organization and directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare a copy of the resolution for distribution to the NAACP National Office.

### What it does

- Formally recognizes and commends the NAACP National Office on the occasion of its 116th anniversary.
- Recounts the founding history of the NAACP Georgia State Conference in 1941 and its growth to 134 adult branches and 183 youth and college units.
- Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare a copy of the resolution for distribution to the NAACP National Office.
- Creates no new law, funding, or penalties; it is a symbolic statement of the House of Representatives.

### Who it affects

The resolution directly names and honors the NAACP National Office and the NAACP Georgia State Conference, including its leadership such as Georgia NAACP President Gerald Griggs and Executive Director Tonza S. Thomas. It has no legal effect on other Georgians.

### Why it matters

The resolution carries no legal or financial consequences; it does not change any Georgia law, create funding, or impose requirements. Its significance is symbolic, as an official acknowledgment by the Georgia House of Representatives of the NAACP's history and work in the state.

### Key provisions

- The whereas clauses describe the NAACP National Office's 1909 founding and its growth to over 2,000 branches nationwide.
- The whereas clauses describe the 1941 founding of the NAACP Georgia State Conference by Dr. Ralph Mark Gilbert and its growth to 134 adult branches and 183 youth and college units.
- The resolved clause formally commends the NAACP National Office on its 116th anniversary and extends best wishes.
- The final clause directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to distribute a copy of the resolution to the NAACP National Office.

## Status

- Status: Passed (2025-02-05)
- Last action: House Read and Adopted (2025-02-05)
- Sponsors: Teddy Reese, Carolyn Hugley, Lydia Glaize, Omari Crawford, Phil Olaleye
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70001

> The history, votes, and amendments (131 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr188.md?full=1