POLK COUNTY, Fla. — The push for equality in Polk County is ongoing; it has just evolved. Leaders in Lakeland with the NAACP say although the fight looks different today, it is far from over.
In the 1950s and 1960s, Polk County, much like the rest of the country, saw African Americans protesting to end segregation and racial violence.
Despite the region being a known hub for the Ku Klux Klan, Black people organized sit-ins at lunch counters where they were told they couldn’t eat because of the color of their skin.
“Blacks could not go in there and sit down. Miss Madalynne Brooks and her daughter and a lot more of our community members here, came and they fought for our rights. So that they can be able to go in stores and sit down and eat,” said Veronica Rountree, president of NAACP Lakeland Branch.
From the Civil Rights Movement to present-day priorities, the mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has remained the same—equality.
"Going up to the City Hall to the mayors to let them know this is not right. We need changes, and we’re here until those changes are made. We’re not going anywhere, we’re standing, and we’re standing strong,” said Rountree.
The NAACP Lakeland branch pushed for the city to erect a Moorehead Community memorial. Unveiled in November 2025 at the RP Funding Center, it honors Lakeland's first Black community established in the 1880s, which was largely displaced for the construction of the civic center.
“All that was a Black community. They had houses, they had stores, they had everything there, and the city decided to take it,” said Rountree.
Rountree said barriers aren’t always as visible as they once were, but they are still there. Issues like access to quality schools, fair housing, and representation in leadership roles continue to drive their work.
"Moving our people up into the positions that they need to be in. They’re not there, or they’re not getting the salary. If they move them to another position, the salary doesn’t change as much,” said Rountree.
To understand how far things have come and what still lies ahead, I spoke to Leon Russell, chairman of the NAACP National Board of Directors.
"In the early years, it was about access to the vote. I think we still see the need for protest. We still see the need for demonstration, but it’s about the impact of public policy on our community,” said Russell.
Russell said progress is undeniable, but so are the challenges that remain.
"Education remains one of the most integral parts of the movement. Making sure that there is a quality, access and equal opportunity to a great educational experience,” said Russell.
One mission. Different battles. And a reminder that the work continues.
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