A new brand of civil rights leadership.

A young college sophomore is so inspired by an organization and its mission that he works to recruit every student on his campus for membership. The organization's mission not only captures the attention of this impressionable 20-year-old, it also earns his loyalty and spurs him to action. He even makes the impact, importance, and potential of this group the subject of his senior thesis. And after graduation, he remains active and supportive of the group's activities through thick and thin, making a lifelong commitment to the cause. What could stir such enthusiasm and dedication in a young person? A fraternity? A church? A college sports program?

Actually, it is the NAACP. That young college sophomore was me, when I was an economics major at Morgan State University 50 years ago. My commitment to the NAACP's mission has not waned over the decades. If anything, as a 1999 recipient of the coveted NAACP Spingarn Medal (awarded annually for outstanding achievement by a black American), my passion for the cause burns hotter than ever. It is critical for this most important of civil rights groups--our national defense system against discrimination and racial inequality--to redefine its mission and message to inspire current and future generations of young African Americans. We must capture the loyalty and tap the talent of the children and grandchildren of the 20th century civil rights movement, empowering them to energize and reshape the NAACP to face the daunting threats to equal rights and economic advancement facing African Americans in the 21st century. The NAACP must spark the same passion and commitment in those in their 20s, 30s, and 40s today, as it ignited in me when I was a young man.

That's why I am encouraged and excited by the recent selection of Bruce S. Gordon as the new president and CEO of the NAACP. Prior to retiring as the chief of the retail marketing division of Verizon Communications Inc. in 2003, Gordon was recognized by BLACK ENTERPRISE as one of the most powerful African Americans in corporate America, earning BE Executive of the Year honors in 1998. As head of Verizon's largest division, he is a proven organizational leader and manager, with the business savvy needed to increase the NAACP's strategic effectiveness. As the son of parents active in civil rights and the local NAACP chapter of his hometown of Camden, New Jersey, Gordon is both literally and figuratively a child of the civil rights movement. However, while he is committed to the NAACP mission of justice and equality, this is not your father's civil rights leader. Gordon is almost perfectly qualified to reestablish the relevancy of the organization in the minds of younger African Americans in terms they can relate and commit to, terms framed by the realities of today and the great goals of the future, not the glories of an increasingly distant past.

For African Americans, the struggle for civil rights has always been economic, social, and political. Social equality and political representation without economic opportunity is an exercise in futility and frustration. That's why Gordon's goal of reframing the NAACP mission (or in his words, the NAACP "brand") with a laser focus on building black wealth, leveraging black spending power, growing black-owned businesses, and bringing sorely needed jobs and resources to black communities, is right on point.

Make no mistake about it: America still needs a strong NAACP--now more than ever. Black Americans continue to be burdened by the legacy of centuries of racism and discrimination: high unemployment, barriers to quality education and affordable healthcare, and institutions arrayed against the stability and prosperity of our communities. But the effectiveness of the NAACP cannot hinge on any one person, no matter who the CEO is. To be at its strongest and most effective, the NAACP needs to engage all of us, regardless of our age and station in life, or the cause of our civil rights and economic advancement.

Bruce Gordon's challenge is to make a compelling case for all minorities to join the civil rights battles of the 21st century; to add our names to the NAACP membership rolls; and commit our time, money, and talent to the cause.