LEWISBURG W.Va. (WVDN) – Over 90 members and friends of the Greenbrier Branch of NAACP enjoyed the annual Freedom Fund Dinner at the Clingman Center in Lewisburg on October 17. The dinner allows the branch to continue its mission to expand human and civil rights, eliminate discrimination and empower voters through education. Officials with the group released the following report:
Following an invocation by Rev. Kathie Holland and music featuring singer Nevaeh Trayham, Branch President Robin Crawford of Hinton welcomed everyone, and Mayor Beverly White greeted the group on behalf of the City of Lewisburg. Hattie Cooper, a student at Greenbrier Community School, read her moving essay, which won the 2025 Martin Luther King essay Contest.
Each year at the annual dinner, the Greenbrier Branch honors people who have shown exceptional dedication to the mission of the NAACP. West Virginia NAACP State Conference President Loretta Young presented this year’s honorees – Naomi and Harvey Cohen and Larry Baxter. Two members were celebrated posthumously. Aubrey Moye paid tribute to Oliver “Bus” Green, and Patty Crawford spoke in tribute of Shalom Tazewell.
Following the tributes, Ms. Young introduced the keynote speaker, James E. Griffin of Clarksburg. Griffin, known for his service on multiple governing Boards, including the WV Black Heritage Festival, has worked tirelessly for equal rights in his native state. His inspirational message, “Where Do We Go From Here,” spoke directly to the problems we face today and offered encouragement in continuing the work the NAACP began years ago.
The Freedom Fund Dinner is a long-standing tradition that brings together NAACP members and community supporters to raise funds to support the operations of the NAACP. We are deeply grateful to everyone who donated time, goods, and funds to make the dinner successful. We are especially grateful for all of our sponsors. We couldn’t do this work and accomplish our goals without the generous support of our community.
Larry Baxter
Keynote Speaker
