Black History Month: Harrell Carter
JACKSON, Tenn. — Each week in February, WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News is celebrating Black History Month by telling the story of West Tennesseans, and it is sponsored by the Tennessee Education Lottery.
Harrell Carter, the President of the Jackson-Madison County Branch and West Tennessee Area Director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, has dedicated most of his life to serving the public.
The NAACP’s purpose is to lead the fight for justice, and ensure that Black lives are a priority in all spaces.
“We’ve been here for over 113 years now. We’re still fighting, basically, the same values system that we’re trying to obtain because, obviously, we have resistance,” Carter said.
The only way to beat inequality is for all members of the human race to get involved with the fight.
“As long as there is greed and hatred for another person’s skin color. We’ll never solve the problem in the time that I live or that you live,” Carter said.
Carter has received local, regional and state awards, including numerous community service recognitions for his passion and dedication to making a change in our community.
“Most of my experiences have been in law enforcement and military work, but I can truly say this after being with the NAACP for 15 years, most of my life has been in public service to others,” Carter said.
He says the way to help beat systematic issues is getting involved and having the will to create change.
“We can change it by coming together, helping the NAACP and other organizations to not only understand the problems, but also start fixing the problems,” Carter said.
Carter says, it is important to celebrate Black history 365 days a year, and more importantly, continue to teach our children the struggles and victories of African Americans.
“We look at this month as another opportunity to not only refresh our memories, but also to understand that we’re not done yet,” Carter said.
The Jackson-Madison County NAACP branch has an annual membership open for anyone who would like to join, as well as a youth council for the younger generation.
For more information, call (731) 927-7004.
Find more highlights for Black History Month here.
