Oranges And Maplewood NAACP Keeps Growing; New Officers Elected

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — The Oranges and Maplewood NAACP Branch, which represents several towns in Essex County, recently elected its officers for 2023.

Founded in 1913, the Oranges and Maplewood branch of the iconic civil rights group is the oldest in New Jersey and third-oldest in the nation. It represents 11 communities in Essex County: Belleville, Bloomfield, East Orange, Livingston, Orange, Maplewood, Millburn, South Orange, Nutley, Verona and West Orange.

Members re-elected Darryl Jeffries – a marketing communications consultant and civic leader – for a two-year term as president on March 16 by a total of 85-69 (and one abstention).

The new leadership team elected to serve with Jeffries include the following officers: Danielle K.S. Thomas, 1st Vice President; William M. Brown, III, 2nd Vice President, Stephen Hobson, 3rd Vice President; Angela Stewart, Secretary; Lady Trisha A. Scipio, Assistant Secretary; Shirley Hobson, Treasurer; Members-At-Large: Pamela Gist Schaefer; Victoria Gray; Henrietta Rice; and Arleen Simmons.

“We live in one of the most extraordinary times in our nation’s history,” Jeffries said, adding that “extraordinary times call for extraordinary people to do the extraordinary.”

“We have experienced an arduous process during this most recent election cycle,” Jeffries continued. “Despite the challenges placed before us, we rose to meet and exceed all expectations.”

Jeffries said that some highlights from his first term included:

• “Increased the treasury by 200 percent”
• “Increased membership by 144 percent”
• “Registered 340+ new voters; 2020-2022”
• “Our ACT-SO participants captured gold and silver medals and a $10,000 scholarship at the National Convention in Atlantic City in July 2022”
• “The annual Freedom Fund Gala has delivered a robust profit for two consecutive years providing critical revenue to fund each committee of the branch”
• “Our distinguished roster of Freedom Fund Keynote speakers includes: Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, now serving as newly-elected and first African-American Leader of the Democratic Party in the US House of Representatives; and the Honorable Jeh Johnson, former U.S. Homeland Secretary during the Obama Administration”
• “Our innovative virtual ‘live cast’ platforms have created new streams of sponsorship revenue and an archive of best practices”

“We now proudly hold distinction as one of the ‘fastest growing’ and ‘most impactful’ branches in the state and nation,” Jeffries said, adding that the organization has embraced the “fierce urgency of now.”

That mindset has led to some concrete victories on the local level, he added:

• “Our opinion article in the Star Ledger helped save Bloomfield College”
• “Our meeting with West Orange schools superintendent elevated the African American high school principal to assistant superintendent”
• “Our testimony at a legislative hearing led to removal of voting drop boxes from police stations”
• “Our testimony at the legislative redistricting hearings earned our branch a $1,000 grant”
• “Our branch hosted police civil service exam training and criminal record expungement seminars”
• “Our innovative Juneteenth flag raising events engaged the leadership and citizens of the communities we serve”

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