In February of 2007, the North Carolina statewide conference of the NAACP created the motto “we need a movement and not a moment.”  This was in response to the social injustice taking place not just in Wake County, but also in North Carolina. According to naacp.ubernc.com, the Historic Thousands on Jones Street was created as “a call by the North Carolina NAACP to the progressive and civil rights community.”

This year will mark the second anniversary of Historic Thousands on Jones Street, or HK on J for short. However, it won’t just be a day of merely commemoration.  Following in the tradition since 2007, thousands of North Carolinians are planned to march in support of civil and social rights for all state residents before the General Assembly in Raleigh.  According the HK on J website, hkonj.com, the goals of the protest are to gather individuals from several counties in North Carolina before the General Assembly to embrace the 14 point agenda, to bring more power of the General Assembly to the people, and create a larger network for those that promote progressive and civil rights.

Geoffrey Hunter, an alum of N.C. State and president emeritus of the N.C. State chapter of the NAACP, was involved in HK on J last year.  “I think it was a great moment,” recalled Hunter. “It was one of the few times I had the chance to march. I think it was good because it was a chance to get to know a lot of people and other organizations. It was a great opportunity to march for the 14 points [on the agenda].” HK on J’s influence, according to Hunter, is also being felt in other states outside of North Carolina.  “A lot of other states in the southeast area are pushing to present these issues [similar to HK on J] to the public.” Though he is a recent graduate, he hopes to get more N.C. State students and other colleges in the Triangle to be involved in HK on J this year.
The march will take place in the same location as before from Chavis Park to the State Legislative’s Office on west Jones Street in downtown Raleigh on Feb. 14.  HK on J 3 will be sponsored by the North Carolina statewide conference of the NAACP, along with various progressive and social change organizations representing from counties all over the state. The march is also of importance for the NAACP, as the 100th anniversary of the organization will also be held on the same week.

For more information on the march and to connect with the organizations sponsoring HK on J3, go to hkonj.com.

The People’s Agenda:  14 Points – from hkonj.com

All children need high quality, well funded, diverse schools.

Livable wages and support for low income people.

Health care for all.

Redress two ugly chapters in North Carolina’s history:  (a) the overthrow of the bi-racial 1898 Wilmington Government and (b) the sterilization of poor, mainly Black, women from 1947-1977.

Same day registration and public financing of elections.

Lift every HBCU

Document and redress 200 years of state discrimination in hiring and contracting.

Provide affordable housing and stop consumer abuse.

Abolish racially biased death penalty and mandatory sentencing laws and reform the prison system.

Young people should work to save the environment and fight for environmental justice.

Collective bargaining should be used for public employees and support works in Smithfield, NC in the right to unionize

Protect the rights of immigrants from Latin American and other international countries.

Organize, strengthen and provide funding for civil rights enforcement agencies and statutes.

Bring home our troops from Iraq.