National African American Gun Association
FoundedFebruary 28, 2015 (2015-02-28)
Membership
45,000+[1]
Philip Smith
Douglas Jefferson[2]
Websitenaaga.co

The National African American Gun Association (NAAGA) is an organization that promotes gun rights among African-Americans in the United States. It has over 45,000 members,[1] more than 75 chapters in the United States, and has grown significantly in reaction to Black deaths. The organization was founded by Phillip Smith in 2015.[3][4]

History

Philip Smith founded NAAGA in February 2015 in honor of Black History Month. His goal was to educate African-Americans on gun usage and ownership. Organizers say NAAGA is a civil rights organization "that aims to build community and promote self-protection". Smith founded NAAGA in response to discrimination against Black gun owners.[4]

From 2015 to 2020, the organization has grown to over 45,000 members,[1] with 75 chapters, and is expected to open 25 more within the coming year. Membership first spiked when Donald Trump was elected president.[5] Smith attributed part of the growth to "a political climate where people with racist views feel emboldened to talk about and act on those views".[4]

Eric Sanders, the vice president for the Kansas City, Missouri, chapter, said "we have a large group that's coming into the organization, and 60–70% are women now."[6]

NAAGA condemned the shooting of Philando Castile.[7]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Miller, Larry (April 26, 2021). "Gun ownership among Black men and women skyrockets". WUSA9. Archived from the original on January 2, 2022.
  2. ↑ Newton, Creede (November 26, 2017). "Guns 'key' to African American equality: NAAGA". aljazeera.com. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  3. ↑ Scruggs, Lea (June 23, 2020). "The NRA for Black People Wants to Get Political". www.vice.com. Retrieved July 15, 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 Booker, Brakkton (July 10, 2019). "With A Growing Membership Since Trump, Black Gun Group Considers Getting Political". NPR.org. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  5. ↑ Young, Ryan (February 27, 2017). "African-American gun club says membership surged after Trump election". CNN. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  6. ↑ Summers, Zac (November 20, 2019). "Changing perceptions, KC group looks at gun ownership through eyes of black community". FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  7. ↑ "As NRA membership wanes, America's largest black gun group is thriving". cbsnews.com. September 11, 2019. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
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