This past December, the Blair Co. NAACP Chapter #2252 bid farewell to its president of the past 3 decades. Blair Co. NAACP past-President Don “Spoon” Witherspoon passed away on December 27th, 2020, at the age of 77, from complications related to COVID-19. Don was a father-figure to the community, a mentor to the troubled, and a voice of reason in times when tensions were high. He is remembered as a staunch advocate for the rights of the incarcerated, people of color, and the impoverished. Since the late-1980s, Don oversaw the operation of the Blair Co. NAACP, administering hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships and business financial aid, visiting with inmates at the Blair Co. Jail to ensure that they were treated fairly, and recognizing and awarding leadership on athletic fields, in classrooms, in courtrooms, and in the community. For more about Don’s life and legacy, please visit any of the links below:
- Friend Reflects on Local NAACP Leader’s Life Legacy. WJAC. https://wjactv.com/news/local/friend-reflects-on-local-naacp-leaders-life-legacy
- Remembering Blair County NAACP Longtime President Don Witherspoon. We Are Central PA. WTAJ. https://www.wearecentralpa.com/news/local-news/remembering-blair-county-naacp-longtime-president-don-witherspoon/
- The Community Loses a Friend. Hollidaysburg Herald. https://www.hollidaysburgherald.com/story/2020/12/31/life/the-community-loses-a-friend/759.html
- Relationship Between Law Enforcement & The African-American Community. Operation Our Town TV. https://operationourtown.org/oot-tv-show/
- Study: Race a factor in Pa. prison time. Local officials disagree on impact here. Many social factors cited for disparity. Altoona Mirror. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/29550375/altoona-mirror/
- Pennsylvania Students Spark Outrage, Alleged Death Threats, After Playing N-Word Hangman. Oxygen. https://www.oxygen.com/very-real/pennsylvania-students-spark-outrage-alleged-death-threats-playing-n-word-hangman
- NAACP President Honored. We Are Central PA. WTAJ. https://www.wearecentralpa.com/news/naacp-president-honored/
Blair County NAACP Branch #2252 