Race

relations are pretty good in Fayette County, says

Ed Johnson, president of the local chapter of the

National Association for the Advancement of

Colored People.

But,

he said, they can be better.

"I'm

very comfortable with the way the racial climate

is in Fayette County, but obviously there are

some areas that can be improved upon,"

Johnson told The Citizen in a recent interview.

As

the NAACP goes into its fall membership drive for

1999, Johnson said it's important to realize that

the role of the civil rights organization is

evolving.

"We're

not in the `60s anymore," he said. "Our

role now is in establishing dialogue... and

hyping the awareness of racial

sensitivities" in local governments and

public life, he added.

Fayette

County is in a unique position in that it has

become a haven for people moving out of urban

areas to get away from crime and other

"inner city" problems, Johnson said.

And though the county's population is mostly

Caucasian now, Johnson said he believes the black

population of Fayette will continue to increase.

Census

figures bear him out. The latest estimates show

that Fayette's minority population is now more

than 9 percent of the total after hovering around

5 percent for decades.

"African

Americans are looking for the same thing [as

whites]," he said. "They want security,

a quality education, neighborhoods they can feel

safe in.

"In

Fayette County, we have a standard we expect from

[people of all ethnic backgrounds]," he

added. "In any ethnic group there are

undesirables."

The

NAACP should be a vehicle for reasonable

discourse among races, but not pit one group

against another, Johnson said.

Members

currently are working to establish contact with

all the local governments as well as business and

industry organizations to make sure any racial

problems are dealt with openly and fairly,

Johnson added.

Membership

in the organization is open to people of all

races, he added.

Meetings

are second Saturdays at 4 p.m., and the September

meeting will be at the Peachtree City Library.

The October meeting may be moved. The place will

be announced in The Citizen.

Members

are planning a membership/fund event, the annual

Freedom Fund Banquet, Oct. 23. In addition to

raising funds and awareness, the banquet

recognizes people who contribute to NAACP's

goals, Johnson said.

More

details on the banquet will be in future issues

of The Citizen.

For

information on the NAACP, phone Johnson at

770-460-9934. board.

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