James Dixon, president of the NAACP Houston chapter, said President Donald Trump doesn’t agree with the NAACP’s mission and shouldn’t be invited to speak at the organization’s convention. (Photo by ShaVonne Herndon)
Leaders of the Houston NAACP chapter agreed, saying President Donald Trump won’t engage in a ‘healthy discussion and debate around our differences.’
As the NAACP announced that it won’t invite President Donald Trump to its annual convention—marking the first time in its 116-year history that it won’t invite a sitting US president—leaders in the organization’s Houston chapter said they support the decision.
James Dixon, president of the NAACP Houston chapter, agreed with the decision and said the organization knows that Trump doesn’t respect the organization’s mission.
“The question really is going to boil down to: Do most Americans want to continue this experiment we call democracy, or are we going to give over to an authoritarian form of government, elevating the elitists and the oligarchs and instituting in place of democracy and autocracy?” Dixon said.
The NAACP has hosted sitting presidents from both major political parties since 1947. The organization announced the decision to not invite Trump on June 16, saying it stems from a fundamental misalignment between Trump’s policies and the NAACP’s core values.
From Harry Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower to Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Joe Biden, presidents have historically participated in NAACP conventions—a tradition that underscores the gravity of what Dixon sees as a turning point.
“At this time in America, we’re in a time of great sensitivity. We need people to understand that we’re sitting on a powder keg,” Dixon continued. “We have to bring back what’s called civil discourse—healthy discussion and debate around our differences—in order to move us all forward.”
Trump’s second term has included efforts to dismantle federal diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, eliminate the US Education Department, and launch a harsh crackdown on immigrants—moves civil rights leaders have said disproportionately harm Black and brown communities.
Other Houston NAACP leaders agreed with Dixon and said Trump’s actions since returning to the White House demand a strong response.
“Look what he stands for. Look how we’ve been treated. I think it’s a travesty that in 2025, we’re still fighting for our freedoms,” said Sylvia McCarter, chair of Women in the NAACP. “Every time we make progress, we get knocked right back down. That’s why we’ve got to go strong this time—very strong.”
Nicholas Little, an executive committee member of the Houston NAACP chapter, agreed.
“I believe this decision is necessary, for such a time as this,” Little said. “With the way the law has been twisted and bent in recent years, we must ensure that we’re protecting all of our people, in every aspect. And when I say our people, I mean all Americans.”
The NAACP also announced that Vice President JD Vance will not receive an invitation to the upcoming convention, scheduled to take place from July 12–16 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
“This decision isn’t about politics—it’s about principle,” Dixon said. “We must elevate the voices that unite us and deflate the voices that divide us.”
The White House responded by criticizing the NAACP, accusing the organization of fostering division. It also emphasized the administration’s commitment to national unity, economic growth, border security, and global peace.
