The Henrico County Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was organized during the year of 1938, under the leadership of Mr. J. Robinson, Sr., who served as President for over twenty-three years.

Dr. H. R. Plummer, Sr. succeeded Mr. Robinson as President in 1961 and served through 1965. Dr. Plummer’s primary interest focused on education and for a better school system in the county of Henrico.  Ms. Annie E. Hewlett, a long-time worker with both Presidents, continued to hold the branch together as the Regular and Life Membership Chairperson and organizer of the “Queens Rally”. This rally was held from various churches within the county annually as a fundraiser for the branch. During Ms. Hewlett’s tenure, there were two solicitors appointed from each of the twenty-one churches within the branch.  The branch continued to focus on education and expanded their work to include voting and self-motivation.

Mrs. Lucy Cordell Wells was elected the first branch female President in 1974. Under her leadership the branch continued to grow.  The Queens Rally was renamed the Freedom Fund Awards Banquet. The branch held its first banquet on Sunday, July 20, 1975, at 6:00 P.M. at the Holiday Inn, located at 3200 West Broad Street in Richmond, Virginia.

Mrs. Wells administration worked in the areas of civil rights, voter education, self-motivation and the growth of both regular and life memberships. Under her leadership, a Youth Chapter was organized, and the first meeting was held at the Quioccasin Baptist Church with as many as thirty children all willing and eager to learn about the NAACP. Some of its first members were Deloris McQuinn, now Delegate, Roslyn M. Brock, now the Chairperson of the National Board of the NAACP, and many others that have become great leaders in the communities. Mrs. Wells was re-elected for a second term, 1976-1978.

In 1978, Rev. Waverly E. Taylor, Jr. was elected President and served for a short time (less than a year). In 1979, Mr. Ray Perry became President and served for a short period.

In 1980, Rev. Joe B. Fleming, was elected President of the branch.  During his presidency, the membership grew to over four hundred members. Rev. Fleming was called to pastor the Third Baptist Church in Portsmouth, Virginia in 1981.

1982 Rev. David Forbes became President, serving a one-year term, still carrying out the goals of the branch.

in 1983 Mrs. Eve Davis became President for one year. The executive board of the branch grew with the help of Mr. Donald A. Willis, as a great co-chairman of the Freedom Fund Banquet and Scholarship Awards, until his early departure.

1985-1986 Rev. Leonard Davis, served as President.

In January of 1987, Mr. John E. McNeil, Sr. was elected President. We continued the struggle for human equality, justice and freedom for all Americans. April 29th, 1988, we celebrated our first Annual prayer breakfast and enjoyed the first day in the park and membership rally on June 2, 1990, both under the leadership of Mrs. Wells as Chairperson.

December 1990, Rev. James R. Coleman, Jr. was elected President and served one year. Subsequently, he was called to pastor the Hayes Grove Baptist Church of South Hill, Virginia.  With Rev. Coleman’s departure, Mrs. Wells by common consent stepped in to carry the branch on as President. In 1991 she was re-elected as President and served in this capacity through the year 2000.

In 2001, Mrs. Helen Clayton-Brown was elected President, still focusing on membership. In March 2002, National restructured all branches’ membership status. With the help of Mrs. Retha Ross, the membership chairperson during that time, our membership increased, thus elevating our branch from a small branch to a medium branch. Mrs. Clayton-Brown was recognized for her work during the National Convention of the NAACP in 2002.   In the spring of 2003, the branch held its first WIN (Woman In NAACP) fashion show under the leadership of Mrs. Lucy Cordell Wells.

In 2004 Rev. J. Rayfield Vines, Jr. was elected as President. President Vines lead by example and promoted the cause of the association as well as celebrating its legacy.  He worked tirelessly promoting the cause of the association and its legacy until he was elected President of the Virginia State Conference of the NAACP in 2007.

At the end of 2008, the branch elected its youngest President, Ms. Tyee Davenport. During her administration the branch continued with the Annual Freedom Fund and Educational Awards Banquets, hosted a health forum in the Essex Village Community and continued with Henrico County School Board engagement and Board of Supervisors forum. For the first time in Henrico County Ms. Davenport held a House of Delegates forum. We also celebrated our first branch WIN Crowns Luncheon (WIN chairperson- Mrs. Wells)

In 2010 the branch elected Ms. E. Drusilla Bridgeforth as President. A long-time veteran of many positions within the NAACP. Ms. Bridgeforth pledged to continue building community alliances, engaging Henrico’s youth keeping in the theme “Affirming America’s Promise”. President Bridgeforth served until 2017.

October 2017, Frank J. Thornton was elected as President his focus was education, increasing membership and bipartisanship.

2018 Sharon Glover served as the Interim President during the departure of Frank Thornton.  The work of the branch continued.

In 2018, Raiford Beasley was elected president and served until 2020.  Mr. Beasley’s administration focused on education, membership, feigning relationships with both political parties and strengthening relationships with county executives.

2020 President Sharon Glover was elected as President and served until August of 2021.

In September 2021, Vice President Terrell Pollard succeeded Mrs. Glover as President.  Under Mr. Pollard’s leadership, the branch continued to forge a path toward equity and equality. 

In July of 2023, Mr. Pollard was succeeded by Mrs. Monica Hutchinson.

We continue to stand for those who cannot; we work to educate those who know not; we speak for those who have not found their voice yet.