NAACP Middletown Celebrates Black History Month

The NAACP Middletown branch has reactivated its chapter in recent years as a hub for racial justice for Black New Yorkers. Serving as the country’s longest and largest civil rights organization, the NAACP works across more than 2,200 NAACP units to advance equitable opportunities for Black people nationwide.

The NAACP Middletown branch serves western Orange County including Middletown, Port Jervis, and Warwick. Cindy-Lee Dorcely, President of NAACP Middletown, says the branch has grown to more than 150 members strong. She says the branch is committed to fighting racial discrimination from all fronts.

“Whether it’s fighting for immigrants, fighting for students that are in the schools dealing with discrimination, or discrimination in the labor force and work, wherever it is… we are here and we are ready to support people in any way that we can,” said Dorcely.

As NAACP Middletown grows, Dorcely’s looking forward to watching the branch’s standing committees bloom. Every NAACP branch has various committees, such as its economic development and education committees.

In 2025, the branch’s political action committee partnered with SUNY Orange to get voters registered for the November elections. The education committee is currently working with local school districts to develop equitable curriculums and disciplinary actions.

“Oftentimes, we found in our school districts, just like in our prison system and in our court system, that our Black and brown students are disciplined more harshly for the same or lesser situations than our counterparts,” said Dorcely.

As part of its Black History Month programming this February, they’ve hosted the local Tuskegee Airmen chapter in the Mid-Hudson Valley, along with participating in the 100th Black History Month celebration with the City of Middletown at the Mulberry House Senior Center.

“Often when we talk about Black history, we talk about slavery. That’s an important part, but Black people have made such huge contributions in this country for many years,” said Dorcely. “Even though this [federal] administration is trying to erase it and erase those accomplishments, we want to make sure that we keep those stories alive.”

Image: The 100th Black History Month Celebration at the Mulberry House Senior Center in Middletown, N.Y. (Photo Credit: NAACP Middletown)