The Tennessee State Conference was charted in 1946 after members of the Chattanooga, Knoxville, Memphis and Nashville areas came together to try to aid black citizens of Columbia-Maury County Tennessee after a race riot rocked the city, killing several and injuring many. The conference organized and elected Mr. Beluah Netherlands of Knoxville as its first president. The history of this great conference is still being researched and recorded, but the following are facts as related to us by the 3rd Vice President of the State Conference, Mrs. Sarah Moore-Greene of Knoxville , Tennessee .

In 1995, Gloria J. Sweet-Love was elected as President of the Tennessee State Conference NAACP, which is located in Jackson , Tennessee . In 1997, 1999 & 2001, she was re-elected without opposition. Under her leadership 8 branches and 6 college chapters have been revived, one new college chapter and three new youth councils chartered.

In July of 2003, the Tennessee State Conference has approximately 9,900 plus members state-wide and is a part of the largest region in the NAACP (Region V).

On the dawn of the new millennium, the new NAACP is poised to bring the nation's oldest, largest and most effective civil rights organization into the 21st century.

Under the leadership of Chairman Julian Bond and President/CEO Dennis Courtland Hayes, the NAACP has continued working to improve the quality of life as it has since its founding in 1909.

There is a new urgency to the effort, as the forces of racism and retrogression in America are once again on the rise, and many of the hard-earned civil rights gains of the past three decades are under assault.

But with the support of a national staff and volunteers, 2,200 units covering all 50 states, the District of Columbia , Germany , Italy , Japan , and Korea ; and more than 600,000 members the new NAACP is stronger than ever!