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June 16, 2025

NAACP breaks 116-year tradition by excluding Trump from annual convention

Historic exclusion breaks 116-year tradition of presidential convention invitations

The NAACP broke its 116-year tradition by excluding sitting President Donald J. Trump from its July 12–16, 2025, national convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Since President Harry Truman’s acceptance of the invitation in 1946, every sitting president—including Ronald Reagan (addressed in 1981) and George W. Bush (addressed in 2006)—had been invited and spoke at the NAACP convention until 2025.

The NAACP announced that Vice President JD Vance was also not invited to the 2025 convention, extending the exclusion to the administration’s top two officers.

White House spokesperson Harrison Fields responded by accusing the NAACP of “advancing hate and division,” while defending the Trump administration’s focus on unity, economic growth, border security, and global peace.

In April 2025, the NAACP filed a civil lawsuit to prevent the Department of Education from withholding federal funds from schools that maintained diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.

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Test Your Knowledge

10
Q1

In which North Carolina city will the 2025 NAACP convention be held?

Q2

The NAACP also excluded Vice President J.D. Vance from the convention invitation.

Q3

How many years has the NAACP invited sitting presidents to its national convention before excluding Trump?

Q4

Which Democratic president was the first to accept the NAACP's convention invitation in 1946?

Q5

How did the White House respond to the NAACP exclusion announcement?

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People, bills, and sources

Derrick Johnson

President and CEO, NAACP

Donald Trump

Donald Trump

President of the United States

JD Vance

Vice President of the United States

Harrison Fields

White House spokesperson

General CQ Brown

Former Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff

Dr. Carla Hayden

Former Librarian of Congress

What you can do

1

Review your First Amendment right to freedom of association and organizational autonomy on the Constitution Annotated: https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/amendment-1/

2

Follow NAACP press releases and legal updates at https://www.naacp.org/ to stay informed about civil rights litigation.

3

Track relevant federal legislation and committee activity on congress.gov by searching terms like “civil rights,” “education funding,” or “executive authority.”

4

Contact your U.S. senators and representatives to share your views on civil rights policy—find their official contact information at https://www.senate.gov and https://www.house.gov.