Local and national leaders of the NAACP gathered on the steps of the Baltimore chapter?s headquarters for a rally Monday.
Joined by dozens of supporters, chapter President Marvin “Doc” Cheatham Sr. called for a show of solidarity in the face of the recent anthrax scare.
“It was evil, but it has only made our resolve stronger,” Cheatham said. “We can?t and won?t give in, because we know we?re doing something right.”
Cheatham, who was joined at the podium by dozens of other members of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said the attack demonstrated that there was still work to be done.
“We’re a stronger organization now, and it?s going to take all of us working together to turn this around,” he said.
On July 21, Cheatham opened a letter addressed to the Baltimore branch filled with a white powder. Police initially said they thought the substance was anthrax.
Later, the city?s hazardous materials team determined the powder was boric acid, a substance only toxic if ingested.
The FBI has classified the letter as a hate crime.
Cheatham has since learned that the letter made threats specifically at the Baltimore branch.
Letters also have been sent to the Atlanta and Norfolk, Va., NAACP branches. The FBI said all of the letters originated from Baton Rouge, La.
The Rev. Nelson Rivers, chief operations officer of the NAACP national organization, said his office was warning other NAACP chaptersto be on alert.
“We have to recognize that what we do is sometimes a dangerous business,” he said. “But we?re prepared, and we have procedures in place.”
Rivers said the national office also was scheduled to meet with FBI officials on Wednesday to receive a progress report on the investigation. “We’ll share what we have and find out what they have,” he said.
Cheatham, who exhorted people attending the rally to join his organization, was gratified to receive nearly 50 new members, including Angela Johnson, a Baltimore resident.
“I want to fight for what they?re fighting for,” she said.
