On this date in 1965, the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) officially elected Roy Wilkins as its new Executive Director.

Wilkins had been actively involved with the NAACP since the 1930s and served as the organization’s assistant secretary before succeeding James Farmer as the leader of the civil rights group. His leadership focused on legal challenges to segregation, voting rights advocacy, and broader civil rights reforms.

Under Wilkins’ guidance, the NAACP played a crucial role in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, both of which were landmark achievements in the fight for racial equality in the United States. He remained in the position until 1977, leaving behind a lasting legacy in the civil rights movement.