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With the opening words of the U.S. Constitution serving as both its theme and a call to action, the North Carolina NAACP convened its 83rd annual state conference September 25-26 in High Point, calling on members to turn the movement’s history into action on civil rights, voting and economic justice.
Held under the theme “We The People,” the two-day gathering brought together NAACP members, branch leaders, youth and college advocates, faith leaders, civic partners, public officials and community stakeholders from across North Carolina. The conference concluded with the organization’s annual Freedom Fund Gala, where speakers connected the historic struggle for freedom with the continued pursuit of political influence and Black economic power.
“Our annual convention is an opportunity to recommit ourselves to the work, connect across generations and communities, and move forward with purpose,” said N.C. NAACP State President Deborah Maxwell. “The challenges facing North Carolina require organized, informed and persistent action. We welcome all who are committed to helping build a more just and equitable state.”
Throughout the conference, attendees discussed issues affecting communities across the state, developed advocacy and organizational skills, and participated in leadership training, fellowship and organizational business. The gathering also gave local branches and advocates an opportunity to coordinate their work and strengthen relationships across regions and generations.
“I am honored and grateful to serve as the 2026 N.C. NAACP State Conference Chair as we continue to secure economic, political, and social independence and justice,” said conference chair Gerry McCants.
The conference’s call to action carried into the Freedom Fund Gala, where keynote speaker LaTosha Brown, co-founder of the Black Voters Matter Fund and the Black Voters Matter Capacity Building Institute, placed the present-day fight for justice within the history of slavery and Black resistance in America.
Brown emphasized the audacity of enslaved people who believed in freedom, education and a better future despite centuries of oppression. She urged the audience to remember that history not only as a record of struggle, but also as evidence of resilience and possibility.
“I want you to understand that America didn’t make us. We made America,” Brown said. “And I also want you to understand what you are made of and where you come from.”
Drawing a parallel between the struggle for freedom from slavery and the current fight for social justice, Brown said equality cannot be achieved by attempting to recreate an earlier America. It requires people to take an active role in shaping what comes next.
“The nation’s potential lies not in recreating the past, but in creating a new future based on the principles of equality and justice,” she said.
Brown placed particular emphasis on voting and on the responsibility to engage people who remain disconnected from the political process. She reminded those gathered that choosing elected leaders is also a choice about the conditions under which communities will live.
“You have agency to choose what kind of society you want to live in and to choose who governs that society,” Brown said.
The gala’s focus on community power extended beyond the ballot box. Following dinner, McCants joined James H. Sills III, president and chief executive officer of Durham-based Mechanics and Farmers Bank (M&F), for a fireside chat about minority-owned banking, the circulation of Black dollars and M&F Bank’s merger with Optus Financial Corporation, the Columbia, South Carolina-based parent company of Optus Bank.
“M&F Bank was founded on the belief that every community deserves a financial institution that understands and serves its unique needs,” Sills said. “That principle has guided us for more than a century and led us to this partnership with Optus. We share a common mission, aligned values, and a steadfast commitment to our customers and communities. This transaction enables us to honor our legacy while providing enhanced resources and capabilities to those we serve.”
M&F Bank was established in 1907 by three people with $10,000. With $500 million in assets and seven branches in North Carolina’s five largest markets, the institution is the nation’s second-oldest African American-owned bank and has operated for 119 years.
Sills said only 20 African American-owned banks remain in the United States. He also noted that African Americans generate approximately $2 trillion in wages each year, while only about $9 billion is held in those 20 banks—a disparity he said illustrates the need to strengthen minority-owned financial institutions and keep more money circulating in Black communities.
The merger combines two mission-driven financial institutions with more than 220 years of banking experience and a shared commitment to expanding access to capital, advancing economic opportunity and strengthening underserved communities. Sills said the combined institution is now the nation’s largest African American-owned bank, with projected assets of $1.5 billion to $1.7 billion.
“There’s never been a minority bank in the history of the world that was purchased for $105 million dollars in cash. We’re the only one,” Sills said.
M&F has locations in Durham, Raleigh, Charlotte and Greensboro and has expanded into Columbia, South Carolina. Sills said the bank is also considering further expansion into neighboring Virginia and Georgia.
During the gala, the N.C. NAACP also presented awards for President of the Year, Secretary of the Year and Grassroots Activist of the Year. Youth and college branches were recognized with awards including Advisor of the Year and Most Likely to Make Good Trouble.
For Sills, continued growth is necessary for Black owned banks to compete and broaden their impact.
“We’re competing against some of the largest institutions in the United States. So, we have to have scale here. We have to continue to grow,” he said.
