N.C. Secretary of Veteran Affairs Larry Hall Supports a “Call to Colors” Part IV

by GDN Shared Post April 4, 2018

A GDN Exclusive:

Previous Parts:

Leaders Endorse Civic Engagement Action Plan a ‘Call to Colors’ Part I
Prince Hall Masons Support Civic Engagement Action Plan a ‘Call to Colors’ Part II
Butterfield and NC NAACP Supports a ‘Call to Colors’ To Achieve One Hundred Percent Civic Engagement at HBCUs Part III

Larry Hall, N.C. Secretary of Veteran Affairs

N.C. Secretary of Veteran Affairs Larry Hall is fully behind a “Call to Colors,” a nonpartisan civic engagement action plan to implement 100% voter registration on all historically black college and university campuses across North Carolina.

The question is, can the action plan be successfully implemented so that it engages black college students in time for the 2018 midterm elections this fall?

Sec. Hall, who earned his B.S with Honors in Political Science and Business from an HBCU, Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, before joining the U.S. Marine Corps – says yes.

“We definitely have the communications mechanisms,” Hall told Greater Diversity News recently. “We have the blogs, we have the student organizations on campus that are all hooked up. We have the fraternities and sororities nationally and statewide, and on each campus hooked up to the web.”
“So there is no excuse now,” Sec. Hall continued. “Now if we decide not to do it, then so be it, that’s what it will be. But it’s not for a lack of ability to communicate, and organize and show up.”

Hall, who was appointed to his post last December by Gov. Roy Cooper after many successful years as a Democratic House leader, continued that all of HBCU campuses make sure students know about special events and campaigns, whether they be football or basketball games, or homecoming.

“We have the demonstrated ability to show up when we care,” he continued. “So, we have to care.”

Black elected and civic leaders across North Carolina

Sec. Hall joins other black elected and civic leaders across North Carolina who have made clear that they care about empowering young people on HBCU campuses, so that their voices are heard at the ballot box this November. Those leaders include Congressman G. K. Butterfield (D-NC-1); Rev. Dr. T. Anthony Spearman, pres. of the NC NAACP; newly appointed State Senator Milton “Toby” Fitch, who is also “Most Worshipful Grand Master State of NC and Jurisdiction of the Prince Hall Mason Lodge; Dr. Lavonia Allison, former chair of the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People; Charles Warren, chairman of the NC Black Leadership Caucus; and N. Carnell Robinson, past chairman of the NC Black Leadership Caucus.

Leadership groups that have been invited to take part in the civic engagement action plan include the Pan-Hellenic Council, the NC NAACP, the Prince Hall Free Masons, and others.

GDN’s strategy for “A Call to Colors”

GDN’s strategy for “A Call to Colors” response is quite simple and powerful. Ask all alumni associations, at all levels, to create standing committees for non-partisan civic engagement. They would ask their members to volunteer 8, 16, 24 hours or more per election cycle, to help mobilize Black voter participation. Volunteer activities could include making telephone calls, Facebook posting, door knocking, organizing their churches or other community-based organizations, Greek organizations, working polls, supporting the NAACP and more.

GDN recommends that Alumni Association urge all HBCU Student Government Associations (SGAs) to make similar civic engagement pledges. SGAs should have twice a year student rallies promoting civic engagement and student organizations. “A Call to Colors” is a suggestion that appeals to student and HBCU Alumni members sense of community responsibility.

Subscribe for updates

Sec. Hall also joins other black leadership who endorse the “Call to Colors” action plan recommendation to subscribe to for free to get weekly Civic Engagement Project eNews at GreaterDiversity.com, and publisher Peter Grear.

“Peter is an institution,” Sec. Hall said. “He’s been at it for a long time, he’s crossed generations with his efforts. He’s changed mediums – it just used to be newspapers, now he’s on the internet, so he’s both a trailblazer, as well as a practitioner.”
“So we can’t thank him enough…, “ Hall concluded“… for the example he’s setting.”

Sec. Hall told his listeners on his “Talk Back” radio program Sunday on Foxy 107/104 FM in Raleigh, that Greater Diversity News publisher Peter Grear would be appearing on his program every two weeks to update listeners on a “Call to Colors.”