Constitution and By-Laws of the Niagara Movement

As Adopted July 12 and 1 3, 1905, at Buffalo. N. Y. - CONSTITUTION

Section I. The name of thir organization shall be THP NIAQARA MOVEMBNT.

. OBJECT The Niagara Movement stands for: (a) Freedom of speech and criticism. (b) An unfettered and unsubuidized press (c) Manhood suffrage. (d) The abolition of all caste distinctions baaed simply on race and

color. (e) The recognition of the principles of human brotherhood as a

practical present creed. (f) The recognition of the highest and best human training as the

monopoly of no cia, 9s or race. (g) A belief in the dignity of labor. (h ) United effort to realize the ideals under wise and courageous

leadership., OFFICERS

Sec. 9. The officers of t,I~is conference shall be a general secretary, a treasurer amd Hn eserative committee consiraingoi one person from each state and territory represented in the couferenee, who ahall hold offlce for one year or until their successors are duly elected and quali- Ued

ELECTION

Src. d The general secretary and the treasurer shall be elected by a t i \ o-thirds vote of all the members present a t the annual meeting.

INTWM ELECTION

Scc. 4. I n case of the death or reslgnation of eit,her the general sec- retary or the treasurer, or i f from any other cause a vacancy occurs in e i t l~er of there offices such vacancy shall be filled within 30 days by election by s two-thirds vote of the executive committee, for which purpose the ofecer remaining shall submit the names of two members of the conference. I n case of vacancies in both the above-named of- fices from any of the above-named causes the same shall be filled in like manner, two names for each ofece being submitted by the secretary of the flnance committee.

Pending the filling of such vacancy or vacancies by election the of- fice of general secretary shall be held by the secretary of the commit- tee of organization and that of the treasurer shall be filled by the secre- tary of the flnance committee.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Sec. 6. The executive committee shall be appointed by the general secretary and the persons so appointed shall bear the title of "state sec- retary."

The general secretary shall be chairman of the executive committee.

COMMITTEES

Sec. 6. The general secretsry shall appoint the secrehries of the following committees who shall not be members of the executive com- mittee, but who shall constitub a sub-executive committee, to-wit:

Committee on Finance. Committee on Interstate Conditions and Needs. Committee on Organization. Committee on Civil and Political Rights. Committee on Legal Defence. Committee on Crime, Rescue and Reform. Committee on Economio Opportunity. Committee on Health. Committee on Education. Committee on Press and Publio Opinion.

Sea. 7. These secretaries, together with the general secretary. h a l l select the membership of their respective committees.

See. 8. The executive committee, together with the gene& lleoretary t~nd the treasurer, shali have direct control of and supervision over all nliittcrs affecting the progress and welfare of the organization and by majority vote shall pass upon all applications for membership, plans of ! ction, methods of procedure, etc., and shall make report to the annual meeting.

STATE COMMI?TEES See. 9. Tbe members of the conference shall constitute a ofate com-

mittee of their respective states of which the aforemid state seoretary shall be ohairman.

MEMBERSHIP

Sec. 10. All applications and proposals for membership in this wn- frrence shall flrst receive the approval of the state in which the appli- cmt resides, and be by them submitted to the exeoutive committee.

MEETING

See. 11. The conference shall meet annual19 in themonth of Augnst. the date and p k w to be flxed by the executive oommfttee, notice of . which shall be given not later than sixty days prior thereto.

DUES

Sec. 19. The annual dues of the members of thQ. argsnhtion shall be the sum of flve (6) dollars, to be paid in the month d November. ,

QUORUM

See. i3. Ten members present a t any conferenoe shall oonstitute a quorum.

AMENDMENT

Sec. 14. This constitution may be amended a t any annual conference by a two-thirds vote of the members present, the proposed amendment to be flled with the general secretary on or before the first day of May in each year, and such proposed amendment shall be submitted to the conference thirty days prior to the assembling thereof.

BYLAWS , Sec. 1. The state committees shall arrange a memorial meeting in honor of the friends of Freedom in their respective states on Thanks- giving day in each year.

See. 9: The state comtnittee shall arrange a public meeting in mch year to be addressed by the general secrehry.

Amendments

Passed August 1 5- 1 8, 1 906

Sec. 4. Instead of "committee of organization," read "legal depart- ment"; instead of "finance committee," read "department of ecollo- mics."

Sec. 6. For list of committees subetitute the following: 1. The Legal Department of the N. M. 2. The Suffrage Department of the N. M.

The Civil Kighta Department of the N. M. 4. The Army and Navy Department of the X. M. 6. The N. M. Department for the Suppression of Cri~no. 6. The N. M. Department of Health. 7. The N. M. Department of Education. S The N. M. Doug@% Press Department. 9. The Pan-African Department of the N. M. % b

10. The Women's Department of the N. M. k-*y

11. The Junior Department of the N. M. 12 The Art Department of the N. M. 13. The N. M. Department of Economics. 14. The N. M. Department of Ethics and Religion.

Sec. lo. Substitute the following: Properly qualiAed persons may be admitted to the Niagars Movement

without distinction of sex. There hall be two grades of membership: (1) Members, who shall be elected by a majority vote of the State organization and confirmed by a vote of the Executive Committee of the h'ational organi- zation. They alone shall have right to vote at the annual meetings and to hold of3Ice. (2) Associate members, to be elected by a majority vote of the State organization.

Sec. 1% Substitute the following: The annual dues of members shall be live dollars and of associate members

not less than one dollar40 cents per capita for each member, full and associate, is to be returned by the treasurer to the State organization.

For By-Law No. 1 substitute for "Thmnksgiving day in each year," this: "A day appointed by the Executive Committee."

A true copy. Attest: W. E. B. DUBOIS,

General Secretary.