The Laurel/Jones County branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) will conduct a voter registration drive this weekend.

Under the leadership of James B. Jones, president of the local NAACP branch, the organization is encouraging residents to get registered to vote.

For more than 99 years, the NAACP built and grew on the collective courage of thousands of people. People of all races, nationalities and faiths united on one premise — that all men and women are created equal.

The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, which is the nation’s oldest civil rights organization, is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination.

Thaddeus Edmonson, chairman of the political action committee for the local NAACP branch, said Saturday’s event will be a kickoff of the group’s voter registration campaign.

Edmonson said Saturday’s event will be from 1 to 7 p.m. at Boston Park on Queensburg Avenue.

The theme for the event is “Arrive with Five for Change: Five family members, five co-workers, five church members, five neighbors or five friends.”

Organizers said there will be numerous speakers, community activists, political activists and ministers encouraging people to get registered and vote.

Some of the speakers for the event will be Jacqueline “Chip” Evans of Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church; James B. Jones, president of the local NAACP branch; the Rev. Arthur Logan, pastor of Union Baptist Church of Laurel; the Rev. Jerry James, pastor of Second Allen African Methodist Episcopal Church; and Jackie Clark Martin with the Progressive Club of Laurel.

Edmonson said organizers are looking for anyone who needs to register to vote or change their voter’s registration information.

“Anyone who is 18 years of age or older and who is not registered to vote is encouraged to come out,” he said. “We are also encouraging anyone who is 17 years of age and will be 18 years old by the Nov. 4 General Election, or anyone who has recently moved and wants to change their voting precincts to come out and take care of their voter registration.”

According to the national NAACP Web site, the vision of the NAACP is to ensure a society in which all individuals have equal rights and there is no racial hatred or racial discrimination.

One of the principal objectives of the national association is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of all citizens.

“So many people have fought, bled and even died for everyone to have the right to vote,” Edmonson said. “It’s just important for everyone to get registered.”