The NAACP recently announced that Chicago is slated to host the 117th National Convention.
Announced in a press conference featuring NAACP leaders, Governor of Illinois J.B. Pritzker, and Mayor Brandon Johnson, the convention’s return is set to mark 100 years since it was held in Chicago in 1926—then the seventeenth year of its start.
It was most recently held in Chicago in 1994 when 40,000 people gathered to see then-President Bill Clinton deliver his speech. The theme is expected to be “Choose Equity.”
Created in 1909, the annual event, held in a different state each year, gathers community members to celebrate Black culture while also emphasizing the continuing fight for civil rights and social justice.
“100 years after the first NAACP Conference took place in Chicago, I couldn’t be more proud to welcome them back in 2026 for what I’m sure will be the best conference yet,” said Governor Pritzker per a press release. “Chicago’s Black community carries a storied history and an important place in the legacy of culture, activism, and advancement, and the NAACP Convention will be an opportunity to show off the best of Chicago and Illinois while also supporting the ongoing fight for racial justice.”
Tune in: We’re heading to Chicago in 2026 for the 117th NAACP National Convention. https://t.co/BxttOxuInF @GovPritzker @ChicagosMayor @DerrickNAACP @ChooseChicago
— NAACP (@NAACP) August 18, 2024
The announcement that the 117th NAACP National Convention will be in Chicago comes as the city hosted a historic 2024 Democratic National Convention. This year’s event featured speeches from a variety of notable speakers, including former First Lady Michelle Obama, former President Barack Obama, Sen. Bernie Sanders, President Joe Biden, Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow and former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
In speeches, topics such as Project 2025, abortion rights and Republican nominee Donald Trump were discussed.
Each night, different themes will be focused on; while Monday’s, Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s themes included “For the People,” “A Bold Vision for America’s Future” and “A Fight for Our Freedoms,” tonight’s closing out theme will be “For Our Future.”
Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to give her acceptance speech for the 2024 Democratic nomination to close out the convention. Along with key political figures, delegates from each state are also expected to show their support for her as the newest Democratic nominee.
“She’ll be a president our children can look up to. She’d be a president respected by world leaders because she already is,” said President Biden in his speech. “She’d be a president we can all be proud of. And she’d be a historic president who puts her stamp on America’s future.”
