The NAACP is working with the District of Columbia to move its headquarters from Baltimore to Washington, the civil rights organization and Mayor Muriel Bowser announced Monday.
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People said in a news release it has signed a letter of intent with the District of Columbia to move its national headquarters within the future redevelopment of the Frank D. Reeves Center of Municipal Affairs.
Derrick Johnson, the NAACP's president and CEO, said Washington sits at the epicenter of change, and he described the move as an exceptional opportunity.
“As we have witnessed over the last month, our country is on the cusp of real change that is long overdue,” Johnson said. “A new home in Washington will allow us to not only fully participate in the growth of this great city, but to also amplify the voices of the Black people as we fight for the crucial policy changes and economic empowerment needed in communities across the country.”
Bowser said the Reeves Center “stands in an iconic and culturally significant area of the U Street corridor with deep connections to the NAACP.”
“As we continue fighting for change and working to build a more fair and just nation, we look forward to welcoming this iconic civil rights organization to Washington, DC.,” Bowser said.
The District of Columbia is planning to redevelop the Reeves Center through a solicitation to be issued this year. The plan calls for a transit-oriented, mixed-use development with office space, affordable housing and neighborhood-serving amenities in a way that reflects the site's historic and cultural significance.
