The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, also known as the NAACP, was founded in 1909 to help African-Americans fight discrimination. The NAACP had originally begun its activities in this area in 1916 by providing recreational activities for African-American soldiers stationed at Fort Devens in nearby Ayer. A Lowell branch was officially formed during 1918 with Harold Wingood as the president. During the 1920s, many people left the area and the organization’s membership dwindled.

With more African-Americans coming into Lowell during and after the Second World War, several local people decided to reorganize the group. Samuel Crayton served as the first president of the renewed NAACP when it was reformed on October 14, 1946. The group brought in many new members with several of Lowell’s long-time Black families including the Finnagans, the Lamberts, the Whites, the Taliaferros, and the Wingoods. Charter members of the Merrimack Valley branch included well-known Caucasian religious leaders like Father Armand “Spike” Morrisette of Saint Jean Baptiste Catholic Church and Reverend Victor Scalise of the Calvary Baptist Church.

The Merrimack Valley NAACP now covers the areas of Lowell, Lawrence and Haverhill remaining a strong advocate of civil rights for over 55 years.