NAACP Mystic Valley Branch respond directly to Somerville Police Employee’s Association’s Letter requesting removal of Black Lives Matter Banner

In a letter addressed to Somerville Police Employee’s Association the Mystic Valley Area Branch of NAACP responded to the Police Union’s request that Mayor Curtatone of Somerville remove a Black Lives Matter banner from City Hall.

The letter signed by several members of the branch’s Executive Committee states it felt compelled to respond publicly to misunderstanding, mischaracterization and misinformation about the nature and intent of the Black Lives Matter movement, which they support. The letter closes with a call for more not less dialogue on issues of race and public safety. See attached copy of the letter sent to the Police Union here.

About the NAACP Mystic Valley Area Branch

The Mystic Valley Area Branch of the NAACP roots spring directly from the work of local and civic minded leaders from within the West Medford community. Of critical importance to the formation of the branch was the hard work of the late Rev. Oscar Phillips of the Shiloh Baptist Church and Mr. Wallace Kountze, who was elected the branch’s first President. In August of 1977 a list of 97 persons who signed up for membership was sent to the National office of the NAACP to apply for our own Charter. In October of 1977 the National office formally recognized Medford as a separate and distinct NAACP unit. The Medford Branch changed its name to the Mystic Valley Area branch in order to capture the desire of persons from surrounding cities/towns to become active members of a vibrant local Civil Rights organization. Today the Mystic Valley Area Branch includes in our geographic reach Arlington, Malden, Everett, Woburn, and Winchester.
Website: www.mva-naacp.org

— NAACP Mystic Valley Branch