The NAACP, or the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, is one of the oldest and most influential civil rights organizations in the United States. It was founded on February 12, 1909, in response to ongoing racial violence and disenfranchisement of African Americans.

The NAACP's mission is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights for all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and discrimination. The organization has played a significant role in shaping the civil rights movement in the United States, using legal advocacy, lobbying, and grassroots organizing to advance civil rights for African Americans and other minorities.

Throughout its history, the NAACP has been instrumental in landmark civil rights cases, including Brown v. Board of Education, which ended segregation in public schools, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which aimed to remove barriers to African American voting rights. The organization continues to be a leading voice in the fight for equality and justice for all marginalized communities.