Milton Hinton | ZOOM |

        For as long as he can remember, the NAACP has played an integral part of Dr. Milton Hinton's life.

        As a boy growing up in Glassboro, N.J., in the 1930s and '40s, Dr. Hinton used to read about the exploits of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in the small-town newspaper he delivered door-to-door every day.

        He eventually would go from reading NAACP headlines to making them as the president of local chapters in New Jersey and Cincinnati.

        After nearly a lifetime of fighting racism as a member of America's oldest civil rights group, the 73-year-old retired University of Cincinnati administrator is now crying out for a rest. Dr. Hinton recently announced he would not seek a fourth term as president of the Cincinnati NAACP.

        The North Avondale man, credited with bringing stability and aggressive leadership to the local chapter, said it was beyond time for him to pass the torch. In an interview with The Cincinnati Enquirer, he said he's looking forward to retiring a second time.

MILTON HINTON FILE

• Notable: President of the Cincinnati chapter of NAACP.   • Born: June 11, 1927, Glassboro, N.J.   • Home: North Avondale.   • Family: Married to Betti Hinton. Two children: Milbeth and Milton Jr. Two grandchildren: Nia, 9, and Kayla, 5.   • Education: Bachelor's (1950) and master's (1954) in education from Glassboro State College; doctorate in education, Columbia University, 1967.   • Resume: Former teacher and principal. Former vice provost for faculty development, vice provost for minority affairs and chairman of the Early Childhood and Special Education Department, University of Cincinnati. Former NAACP chapter president in New Jersey for 13 years.   • Religious affiliation: Member of Bethel Baptist Church, Walnut Hills.

        Question: Shortly after you were elected president of the NAACP in 1994, you were quoted in an Enquirer article as saying “the local NAACP chapter was like a dog with bite, but not enough bark.” As you prepare to step down, how loud do you think the dog is barking now?

        Answer: I think the bite has been there.

        One of the things that we have accomplished is dealing with individual complaints that come to us almost daily about segregation or racism in the workplace, problems with the police division.

        And it is important that we deal with those individual complaints because the people who come to us are hurting, and that is the mission, in my view, of what the NAACP should be doing.

        Those things, however dealt with, do nothing to change the systemic racism that exists. ... So we have been able to bite in terms of systemic stuff without mak ing a lot of barking along with the bite.

        Q: What are some examples of the way the NAACP has dealt with systemic racism?

        A: The Citizens Police Review Panel that the NAACP and several other organizations were able to get (City) Council to institute is a good example.

        That panel will probably be more effective in dealing with police misbehavior than any single complaint that comes to the NAACP, where we address it on an individual basis by going to the Ohio Civil Rights Commission or Office of Municipal Investigation.

        That panel ... has already proven its mettle by coming up with a finding in respect to police misbehavior that was different from that of internal investigations.

        It has also taken on a case that the police division thought it should not be taking on, because it was beyond their purview. ... They have used the route to subpoena people who don't want to come before them. ...

        We have been able to institute an entity that will deal with the system affecting the lives of hundreds, if not thousands, of people.

        Q: There were about 700 members involved with the NAACP when you came on board in 1994. Today, there are nearly 3,500. That's a pretty big jump. What did you bring to the table that got people excited about being a part of the organization again?

        A: The NAACP has long been a respected organization within and outside of the black community. ... It is something that is embedded in the minds of many, many black folks.

        So there was no need to tell people about the NAACP. But there was a need to demonstrate that it was, as folks say, “doing something.” ...

        The opportunity arose less than a couple months after I came on board when we had to interact with your newspaper. The (NAACP) was opportunistic in dealing with that situation.

        When we could not get it settled through negotiations, we took it to the street demonstrating. ...

        We continued that visibility. We put out newsletters saying what we were doing and the media picked up (on it). When matters of police concerns came up, we would have mass meetings.

        We just became very, very visible, but more importantly, we did not just bark, but we deliberately, thoughtfully and with planning, followed up on everything we did.

        And so folks began to see ... the NAACP was engaging in things important to the black community.

        Q: You talked early on in your presidency about recruiting more young people to the NAACP. Do you think that you've successfully brought in a lot of young people? And now that you are retiring do you think there will be some young people to step up?

        A: We have successfully recruited young people to the organization. Whether or not they will succeed will be a matter of their own will to do so. ...

        Our first vice president is a young person. The two people who host our radio program every Saturday morning, both are young people in their early 30s. The co-chair of our political action committee is a young person. The chair of our housing committee is a young person. ...

        So you see, we have not only brought the young people in, but we've given them responsibility and responsible positions.

        Q: What about white people? Have you been successful in bringing more on board to support the organization?

        A: Not a lot, but a few more. In reality, the NAACP is still essentially, in this city at least, a black organization.

        Q: Are race relations in Cincinnati better now than when you first took office six years ago?

        A: I don't think they are any better. They are not good.

        What we seem to do is to make progress in some areas, but there isn't a (similar) progress across the board. ...

        We still have these nagging problems with the police division. We still have neighborhoods that need much attention in terms of safety and in terms of housing. We still get complaints in here daily on an individual basis about discrimination of one kind or another.

        Q: The Enquirer recently reported about a new group called the Chairman's Roundtable on Public Safety. The group's goal is to talk honestly about race and the long history of police-community relations problems in Cincinnati. What are your thoughts on that?

        A: I question that. What we don't need is another group to talk about race.

        I think sometimes our political leadership uses those kinds of ploys and activities to further their own ends — as opposed to really dealing with the problems of race.

        Q: Why do you think Cincinnati continues to have a problem getting over the racial hump?

        A: Most white folks are too quiet. They will say individually they believe in the rightness of a particular cause.

        But when a problem comes down the pike that deals with black folks, it becomes the NAACP's problem or some other civil rights or concerned group in the community that is black. No white folks take it up. It is a black problem, they say. When in fact it is not. ...

        So if for no other reason than a selfish one, that silent majority of white folks who say they believe in the cause need to evidence it. ...

        On the other hand, there are too many black folks — and I hold them more accountable than whites — who ignore the issues affecting their people because they are not themselves individually affected.

        Rightly or wrongly, my perception is that if you are black you have an inherent responsibility to address the issues that affect the black community. And when you do not, you are ignoring your responsibility as a black person and disengaging your heritage.

        Q: During your presidency, you've pushed for black organizations to pull together to get more blacks registered to vote. You obviously see this as a very important issue for African-Americans.

        A: There is no reason that in a city with a black population of approximately 40 percent that we should endure the kinds of egregious behaviors that are thrust upon us by the majority community. No reason.

        The resources and the potential is here for blacks to control the political power in this city. That could happen. It is here for us.

        In my perception, what we do now when something happens is we go down to Council and we beg. ...

        If we had the political muscle, (our demands would be met). Because government and politicians do not respond to their Christian ethic or goodwill. What they respond to is: Can you put me in office? Can you take my behind out of office?

        And our black organizations are not doing enough to mobilize that potential.
       

Boaters watching Bengals, breaking law
Voters unfazed by tax-cut plans
Estate tax cuts another issue
Police exam draws more candidates
Mild weather returning this week
NAACP chief: Race relations not good
Many in Newport still have no gas
Residents coping with cold
Results of our news poll
SAMPLES: Tablets added for 'education'
New texts at Adams Co. schools
Clermont College gets $11 million makeover
Columbus Day closings
Democrat Hill carving out niche in House
Hamilton schools slow projects with eye on future state grants
Lebanon looks at business park deals
Music lovers just chill
Parks dedicated with $200,000 and much fanfare
You asked for it
Family, community honor slain woman at memorial
Kentucky Digest
Local Digest
Schools to decide booster spending
Suspect fatally shot in struggle
Visa lottery relocates to Ky.