President Joe Biden’s recent State of the Union address on March 7, delivered on the anniversary of Bloody Sunday, presented his administration’s vision for the nation. However, for Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People , the speech was not merely an opportunity for reflection but a moment to demand concrete action for Black America.

On March 7, 1965, the Selma to Montgomery marches led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. were three protest marches, held in 1965, along the 54-mile highway from Selma, Alabama, to the state capital of Montgomery. Once the protestors reached the Edmund Pettus Bridge, the Alabama state troopers began beating the protestors with nightsticks, shot tear gas at the protestors, and charged the protestors while mounted on horses.

In response to President Biden’s address, Johnson issued a statement, emphasizing the need for tangible progress beyond rhetoric. He acknowledged the administration’s strides but stressed the imperative of fulfilling promises and enacting meaningful policies for Black America.

“President Biden’s address provided the American people with important updates on his Administration’s progress to fulfill their promises,” Johnson remarked in a statement on the organization’s website. “Let’s not forget, in 2020, Black America turned out in droves, with the hope of not only repairing, but building a better democracy. While this Administration has made notable progress, the road ahead must be paved with promises kept and policies enacted.”

Following Biden’s speech, Johnson tweeted, “As we look ahead to the upcoming election, the imperative is clear: Black America demands more than just verbal assurances from any occupant of the Oval; it requires concrete action.”

As we look ahead to the upcoming election, the imperative is clear: Black America demands more than just verbal assurances from any occupant of the Oval; it requires concrete action.

— Derrick Johnson (@DerrickNAACP) March 8, 2024

The NAACP’s Black Policy Agenda, released ahead of the State of the Union address, outlined key issues vital to Black communities across the nation. These include economic empowerment, educational reform, environmental justice, healthcare access, and criminal justice reform, among others. Johnson’s statement echoes the sentiments expressed in this comprehensive agenda, emphasizing the urgent need for action on these fronts.

Derrick Johnson (Photo: NAACP website)