The Crisis is the official magazine of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and was founded by W. E. B. Du Bois in 1910. The Magazine celebrated its 100 years publication with a reception at the N.Y. Times Building 620 Eight Avenue in Manhattan.
The original title of the journal was The Crisis: A Record Of The Darker Races. From 1997 to 2003, it appeared as The New Crisis: The Magazine of Opportunities and Ideas, but the title has since reverted to The Crisis. The title derives from the poem “The Present Crisis” by James Russell Lowell.
The object of the founder publication was to set forth those facts and arguments, which show the danger of race prejudice, particularly as manifested today toward colored people (presently a.k.a. African Americans).
“Crisis” takes its name from the fact that the editors believe that those were a critical time in the history of the advancement of men. Finally, its editorial page will stand for the rights of men, irrespective of color or race, for the highest ideals of American democracy, and for reasonable but earnest and persistent attempts to gain these rights and realize these ideals.
Now predominantly a current-affairs journal, The Crisis also includes poems, reviews and essays on culture and history.
At the centennial reception “The Sight and Sound of Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois was presented by Charles Everett Pace (Scholar, Great Plains Chautauqua Society, Inc.) a reading of a few of the great lectures by Du Bois.
Also in the program was a “For All We Know” dance presentation by Ebony Jones, and “We Care Media Arts” short videos presentation titled “Harlem Talking” produced by Sam Walton and Directed by Oren Jacoby.
We Care’s activities introduce teenagers to Harlem’s rich cultural legacy and community involvement through an ongoing film/oral history project bringing young people and long time Harlem residents together. The program trains young people in communication skills and documentary filmmaking techniques. The second short video, “The Crisis: A Centennial Moment” was produced by CBS News Corporation Harold Gold.
The evening keynote speakers were Laura D. Blacburne and Julian Bond (past President National NAACP).
Photo by Gideon Manasseh
