Marlyn Tillman

President
Post Office Box 1124
Grayson, GA 30017

NAACP GWINNETT COUNTY BRANCH (5664)

president@gwinnettnaacp.org

www.gwinnettnaacp.org

Renita Hamilton

CONTACT: Marlyn Tillman, President

E-Mail: president@gwinnettnaacp.org

For Immediate Release

Monday, January 16, 2017

1st Vice President

Post Office Box 1124
Grayson, GA 30017
1stvp@gwinnettnaacp.org
www.gwinnettnaacp.org

Dr. Janet Brown-Howard

2nd Vice President
Post Office Box 1124
Grayson, GA 30017
2ndvp@gwinnettnaacp.org
www.gwinnettnaacp.org

Jacques Laurent
Treasurer
Post Office Box 1124
Grayson, GA 30017

In response to Gwinnett County Commissioner Tommy Hunter's disparaging comments regarding

civil rights icon, John Lewis, the Gwinnett County Branch of the NAACP strongly denounces
Hunter's rhetoric and ignorant claims made about John Lewis. Furthermore, the Gwinnett County
Branch of the NAACP challenges the other conspicuously quiet members of the Gwinnett County
Commission to stand with us and publicly denounce Hunter's abhorrent remarks.
It is sad and a terrible travesty of justice that in 2017, citizens of color continue to be defamed in
this country by elected officials who purport to serve them. Commissioner Hunter resorted to
puerile language describing a large swath of his constituents as "idiots." The NAACP is confident
that the residents of the most diverse county in the Southeast, including District 3 which Hunter
represents, recognize the extensive work John Lewis has done in the area of civil rights as well as
the high price he and other leaders have paid for their work.

treasurer@gwinnettnaacp.org
www.gwinnettnaacp.org

Gwinnett County is now composed of 53.5% people of color whose rights were guaranteed by the
work of John Lewis and other leaders of the Civil Rights movement. Hunter not only lacks the
proper decorum of his office, but also the knowledge that race is a social construct which is
utilized to reinforce power. Gwinnett County officials continue to apply their tin ear when dealing
with affairs that impact people of color. Hunter epitomizes the need for declaratory and
injunctive relief so the new majority Gwinnettians is able to elect effective representative
leadership as sought in the lawsuit filing Georgia NAACP and GALEO et al v. Gwinnett County
Board of Commissioner et al, in U.S. District Court.
Finally, we demand Commissioner Hunter issue a public apology and cease spewing divisive
racial hatred.
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is an African-American
civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909 by a group of black and white citizens
committed to social justice who included Moorfield Storey, Mary White Ovington and W. E. B. Du
Bois. Its mission is "to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of
all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination".

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Mailing Address: Post Office Box 1124 Grayson, GA 30017

info@gwinnettnaacp.org
www.gwinnettnaacp.org