Jackson Jambalaya

Our old friend, Derrick Johnson, yes, the NAACP President made a curious little partnership for the NAACP with a law firm that just happens to hire his wife a few months earlier.  

The NAACP issued the following press release on September 30, 2024: 

The NAACP has partnered with Singleton Schreiber, a leading law firm specializing in civil rights, to pursue justice for Black and other women of color exposed to toxic chemical hair relaxers (perms). These products, widely marketed to women of color, have been linked to serious health problems such as uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer and uterine fibroids with one of the following procedures: hysterectomy, myomectomy, or endometrial ablation.

"The NAACP will use all its legal might to seek justice from those companies that have profited while Black women were harmed by these beauty products," said Janette McCarthy Wallace, General Counsel of the NAACP. "It remains the mission of The Association to protect Black women against predation of any form, most especially against their health and wellness."

For generations, Black women have used chemical relaxers to straighten their hair, a practice shaped by societal standards that favor Eurocentric beauty norms over natural Black hair textures. Haircare companies have aggressively marketed these harmful products to Black women and girls, often failing to disclose the associated health risks. Now, a lawsuit targeting major beauty corporations such as Soft Sheen-Carson LLC and others, seeks accountability for these companies' failure to disclose the dangers of their products. Women across the country have experienced health impacts, from scalp burns and infections to life-altering cancers, without being adequately warned.

"Our partnership with the NAACP amplifies our shared mission to protect the health and rights of Black women," said Danielle Ward Mason, Partner at Singleton Schreiber. "By holding these companies accountable, we're sending a strong message that corporations profiting at the expense of women's health will face justice."

The campaign aims to raise awareness, provide legal support to affected women, and ensure victims receive the compensation they deserve. This lawsuit represents a pivotal step in addressing the exploitation of marginalized communities by powerful corporations.

For more information on this legal battle and how to join the fight, visit https://naacphairrelaxerjustice.com/.

The NAACP's election of the law firm is rather curious.  A tally of the lawyers posted on the firm's website reveals minorities are well, a minority at the law firm.  11 of the firm's 96 lawyers are black, a whopping percentage of 11%.  

Hiring such an overwhelmingly white law firm seems a little strange for the NAACP.  However, Singleton hired Mr. Johnson's wife, Letitia Johnson in February 2024, six months prior to the NAACP announced its partnership with the law firm.  Press release.

Ms. Johnson is not  exactly a litigator.  She has one circuit court case in Hinds County and none in Rankin and Madison counties.  The chancery court dockets state she is an attorney in over twenty cases - divorces, DHS cases, wills, estates, and conservatorships.  The federal docket lists Mrs. Johnson as an attorney in several hundred bankruptcy cases.  She was one of several attorneys represented JMAA in the recently settled annexation case.  

The Singleton press release states Mrs. Johnson will be the lead litigator in the environmental racism cases.  However, it is rather curious the law firm would assign the role of lead litigator to someone with so little litigation experience.  

So let's get this straight.  The NAACP partners with a white law firm to pursue "environmental racism" litigation that just happened to hire  an attorney with little litigation experience but just so happens to be the wife of the NAACP President.  

Just a coincidence as these are all honorable folk.