The DRB Plaza ensures that recognition is concrete, visible, accessible, and permanent.
LESSONS IN EFFECTIVE ADVOCACY
The successful completion of the DRB Plaza offers important lessons for NAACP chapters and community organizations nationwide about effective advocacy:
1. Early Engagement Matters The Pine Bluff NAACP became involved with the DRB vision early in its development, ensuring the organization could influence planning, advocate for community input, and monitor implementation from the beginning rather than reacting to decisions already made.
2. Strategic Thinking Prevails Over Reactive Responses Effective advocacy requires understanding the full context-- who supports the initiative, who opposes it, what resources are available, where vulnerabilities exist, and when intervention will be most impactful. The NAACP approached DRB advocacy strategically, not just enthusiastically.
3. Quiet Work Often Matters More Than Public Statements While public rallies and press conferences have their place, much effective advocacy occurs in meetings, phone calls, relationship-building, and strategic pressure applied through appropriate channels. The NAACP's most important work on behalf of the DRB Plaza occurred largely out of public view.
4. Coalition Building Creates Strength The NAACP worked alongside other community organizations, city officials, UAPB, the Pine Bluff A&P Commission, and numerous other partners. Building coalitions meant the DRB Plaza had multiple advocates, not just one voice that could be ignored or dismissed.
5. Persistence Through Obstacles Is Essential Multi-year projects face multiple challenges. Organizations that celebrate early momentum but fade when obstacles emerge cannot protect community interests. The NAACP remained engaged, vigilant, and active throughout the entire development process.
"Some NAACP chapters become irrelevant because they're afraid to shake the tree to get the apples," Cunningham, noted. "They wait for victories to fall into their laps while those opposed to community progress actively work to cut the whole tree down. The Pine Bluff NAACP shakes the tree. We climb the tree. And when necessary, we defend the tree against those who would destroy it."
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