The NAACP is a large American organization that works for the rights of African-American people — in schools, voting, jobs, housing, and the courts. It began in 1909 and is one of the oldest groups of its kind in the United States. People usually say it letter by letter, often “N double-A C P.” The letters stand for National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Colored is an old official word for Black people; most people do not use it in ordinary talk now, and many find it dated. Though actually, the NAACP has kept the historical name on purpose, as a link to the people who built it. It is not a government office; it is an independent group. You will meet it in news about US law, protests, and voting.