‘Liberty or Oppression. The Choice is Ours’: Detroit NAACP Kicks Off 71st Fight for Freedom Fund Dinner Season

February 13, 2026

The Detroit NAACP launched its 71st annual Fight for Freedom Fund Dinner campaign on February 12 with a kickoff reception emphasizing urgent action against contemporary injustices. Reverend Dr. Wendell Anthony, the branch president, invoked the organization's 117-year history of multiracial civil rights advocacy while warning attendees that past accomplishments are insufficient given today's resurgence of discrimination and attacks on diversity. The event featured significant financial commitments, including $250,000 from Huntington Bank and $50,000 from Dennis Archer Jr.

Who is affected

Detroit NAACP branch members and supporters
Rev. Dr. Wendell Anthony (Detroit NAACP branch president)
Gary Torgow (Huntington Bank chairman, serving as senior corporate chair)
Dennis Archer Jr. (new community co-chair)
Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield
Hot Sam's owners (outgoing community co-chairs)
Brittany Lavis of Detroit Medical Center (honoree)
Donors, ticket purchasers, and attendees of the fundraising campaign
Communities experiencing racial discrimination, anti-Semitism, and attacks on diversity

What action is being taken

The Detroit NAACP is conducting its 71st Fight for Freedom Fund Dinner fundraising campaign
Gary Torgow is serving as senior corporate chair for an eighth year
Dennis Archer Jr. is assuming the role of community co-chair
Huntington Bank is donating $250,000 to the Freedom Fund
Dennis Archer Jr. is contributing $50,000
Mayor Mary Sheffield is purchasing the first ticket for this year's dinner
The organization is selling tickets, tables, and sponsorships for the April 26 dinner

Why it matters

This fundraising campaign matters because it supports the NAACP's ongoing civil rights work during what organizers characterize as a critical moment of escalating discrimination and social injustice. The event represents institutional continuity in a 117-year-old movement while mobilizing financial resources to combat what Anthony describes as rising "racial discrimination, anti-Semitism, anti-women, anti-diversity, anti-history" sentiments. The campaign serves as both a fundraising mechanism and a rallying point for civic engagement, emphasizing that civil rights advocacy requires sustained financial support and community action beyond commemorating past victories.

What's next

The 71st Fight for Freedom Fund Dinner will take place on Sunday, April 26 at 5 p.m. at Huntington Place
Three leaders will be honored at the dinner: Gary Torgow of Huntington Bank, Brittany Lavis of Detroit Medical Center, and Dennis Archer Jr. of Ignition Media Group
Interested parties can contact freedomfund@detroitnaacp.org for tickets, tables, and sponsorship information

Read full article from source: Michigan Chronicle