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Roy Wilkins Facts & Worksheets

Roy Wilkins was an African-American journalist-turned-activist who rose to become the executive director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1955.

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Roy Wilkins was an African-American journalist-turned-activist who rose to become the executive director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1955. He held that position for 22 years and was a prominent figure in the civil rights movement of the 20th century. He also co-founded the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights in 1950.

See the fact file below for more information on Roy Wilkins, or you can download our 25-page Roy Wilkins worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION

  • Roy Ottoway Wilkins was born on August 30, 1901, in St. Louis, the second-largest city in Missouri.
  • When he was four years old, his mother died of tuberculosis.
  • Along with his siblings, Roy Wilkins was raised by his aunt and uncle in St. Paul, Minnesota. 
  • They attended a racially integrated high school.
  • Roy graduated with a degree in sociology, with a minor in journalism, from the University of Minnesota in 1923.
  • He worked full-time while pursuing his college degree.
  • While studying at the University of Minnesota, Roy took a job as a journalist at The Minnesota Daily.

EARLY CAREER

  • He also wrote for The Appeal, an African-American newspaper, and became its editor.
  • Upon his graduation in 1923, Wilkins became the managing editor of The Call, one of the African-American weekly newspapers in Kansas City.
  • In 1929, he married Aminda “Minnie” Badeau, a social worker from St. Louis, Missouri. They did not have children.
  • At the time, segregation and disenfranchisement laws, known as the Jim Crow Laws, began to be implemented. These laws enforced strict segregation of schools, libraries, restaurants, parks, libraries, restrooms, drinking fountains, buses, and trains.
  • From being a journalist, Wilkins became an activist because of the racial divide and discrimination caused by the Jim Crow laws.

CAREER WITH NAACP

  • In 1931 he moved to New York City and joined the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
  • He worked as an assistant secretary of the NAACP under Walter Francis White. 
  • In that position, he advocated against lynching laws and looked into working conditions for southern blacks in Mississippi River levee labor camps.
  • He became the editor of The Crisis, NAACP’s official magazine, after W. E. B. Du Bois resigned from the organization in 1934.
  • He remained in that position until 1949 when he began to chair the  National Emergency Civil Rights Mobilization.

LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE ON CIVIL RIGHTS

  • In 1950, together with A. Philip Randolph and Arnold Aronson, Wilkins co-founded the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, now considered the oldest civil rights coalition in the United States.
  • They campaigned against discriminatory housing and employment practices as well as the education and voting rights of Blacks.
  • The coalition has been responsible for coordinating legislative campaigns behind every major civil rights law since the 1950s.

OVERVIEW OF NAACP

  • The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is a civil rights organization founded in 1909 by an African-American group of activists, which included W. E. B. Du Bois, Mary White Ovington, Ida B. Wells, and Moorfield Storey.
  • The main mission of the organization was “to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination.”
  • The NAACP backed efforts to revoke the disenfranchisement of blacks, especially when the Jim Crow laws legalized racial segregation.
  • During the 1920s, the NAACP concentrated on legislation, lobbying, and educating the public on anti-lynching efforts.

NAACP LEADERSHIP

  • In 1955, Wilkins was appointed as the executive secretary of the NAACP after Walter F. White had passed away.
  • He then became executive director of the Association in 1964.
  • In that capacity, he served as an effective spokesperson for the Civil Rights Movement in its early years.
  • Under Wilkins’ direction, the NAACP fought for equal rights for blacks and against de jure and de facto segregation.
  • He spent 22 years as the executive director of the NAACP, during which he played a key role in organizing major national protests, such as the 1963 March on Washington and the Selma to Montgomery March in Alabama.
  • The NAACP, directed by Wilkins, spearheaded efforts that led to many civil rights victories, including Brown vs. Board of Education, the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the 1965 Voting Rights Act, and the 1968 Fair Housing Act.
  • Wilkins believed in nonviolent protest and opposed militancy in the civil rights movement.
  • His principle was to use legislation to achieve reform.
  • In working towards this goal, he consulted with U.S. Presidents John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Jimmy Carter. 
  • President Lyndon B. Johnson also appointed Wilkins to serve on his National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders.
  • He was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Lyndon B. Johnson in 1967.
  • In 1968, he became chairperson of the U.S. delegation to the International Conference on Human Rights.
  • In 1977, he stepped down from his executive director post at the NAACP and replaced by Dr. Benjamin Hooks. 
  • Upon his retirement, Roy Wilkins was honored by the NAACP with Director Emeritus status.

PRINCIPLE OF NONVIOLENCE

  • Even though black activist groups had been pressuring the NAACP to extend legal backing to militant groups, Wilkins stood his ground in practicing nonviolence. 
  • He disagreed with Martin Luther King, Jr.’s vocal opposition to the Vietnam War.
  • Despite disagreements over the war, Wilkins and King stayed dedicated to countering the Black Power movement.

DEATH AND LEGACY

  • At age 80, Roy Wilkins died on September 8, 1981, in New York City.
  • His autobiography Standing Fast: The Autobiography of Roy Wilkins was published posthumously in 1982.
  • Five years after Wilkins’ death, his widow Aminda led the Roy Wilkins Foundation in founding a research center focused on efforts fighting inequality at the University of Minnesota.
  • In honor of Wilkins’ life’s work in fighting for racial equality, the Roy Wilkins Center for Human Relations and Social Justice was established in 1992 at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs. 
  • Also named after him, the Roy Wilkins Renown Service Award is an honor given to members of the United States Armed Forces who had advanced equality and human rights.
  • A public and cultural touchstone called Roy Wilkins Park in St. Albans, Queens, New York was named after him.

Roy Wilkins Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Roy Wilkins across 25 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Roy Wilkins. Roy Wilkins was an African-American journalist-turned-activist who rose to become the executive director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1955.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  1. Roy Wilkins Facts
  2. The Senior Statesman
  3. Civil Rights Work
  4. NAACP Overview
  5. Adding Context
  6. Taking Inspiration
  7. Historic Marches
  8. Successful Campaigns
  9. NAACP Leaders
  10. Watch and Learn
  11. Legacy Reflection

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Roy Wilkins?

Roy Wilkins (1901–1981) was a prominent African American civil rights activist. He is best known for his leadership role in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), where he served as the executive director from 1955 to 1977. He played a significant role in the struggle for racial equality and civil rights in the United States.

What were Roy Wilkins’ contributions to the civil rights movement?

Roy Wilkins was a tireless advocate for civil rights. He used his leadership position in the NAACP to push for desegregation, voting rights, and equal opportunities for African Americans. He played a crucial role in organizing and participating in key civil rights events, such as the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech.

How did Roy Wilkins approach civil rights activism?

Roy Wilkins was known for his pragmatic and diplomatic approach to civil rights activism. He believed in working within the system to bring about change and was committed to nonviolent methods. He used legal strategies, lobbying efforts, and public awareness campaigns to challenge segregation and discriminatory practices. His approach was focused on gaining support from both black and white communities for civil rights causes.

What challenges did Roy Wilkins and the NAACP face during his leadership?

During Roy Wilkins’ tenure as the executive director of the NAACP, the organization faced significant challenges, including resistance to desegregation, racial violence, and political opposition. The NAACP’s efforts to challenge discriminatory laws and practices often met with resistance from segregationist groups and politicians. Despite these challenges, Wilkins and the NAACP persisted in their efforts to advance civil rights.

What is Roy Wilkins’ legacy?

Roy Wilkins is remembered as a dedicated civil rights leader who made important contributions to the advancement of racial equality in the United States. His leadership and advocacy helped bring about key legislative changes, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. His commitment to nonviolent activism and his ability to build bridges between different communities left a lasting impact on the civil rights movement and the fight for social justice.

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