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4d ago

Texas State Bar Replaces NAACP Leader as Juneteenth Speaker Over Political Neutrality Rules

Derrick Johnson’s invitation was rescinded following the NAACP’s lawsuit against Trump’s order to dismantle the Department of Education, with Wallace B. Jefferson named as his replacement.

FILE - Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP, speaks before President Joe Biden arrives at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, Friday, May 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
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Overview

  • The State Bar of Texas rescinded NAACP President Derrick Johnson’s speaking invitation, citing rules requiring political neutrality at its events.
  • The decision followed the NAACP’s March 2025 lawsuit challenging President Trump’s executive order to dismantle the Department of Education, which the Bar deemed political.
  • Johnson, who was scheduled to speak on Juneteenth, criticized the move as censorship of legal advocacy and highlighted inconsistencies with past speaker selections, such as William Barr in 2023.
  • The Bar clarified that stricter neutrality rules, imposed by a 2023 federal court ruling and Texas Supreme Court mandate, now govern its speaker policies.
  • Former Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Wallace B. Jefferson will replace Johnson as the Juneteenth speaker, focusing on the holiday’s significance.