Wilkins, Roy (1901–1981)

US journalist and civil-rights leader who worked to achieve racial equality without the use of violence and spoke out against both white supremacy and African-American separatism. From 1931 he served as executive assistant secretary of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and was editor of the organization's newspaper, Crisis 1934–49. He was named acting secretary of the NAACP in 1949 and was later made executive secretary 1955–77, eventually winning praise from Jesse Jackson and other younger black US leaders.

Born in St Louis, Missouri, he was reared by an aunt and uncle in St Paul, Minnesota. He was editor of his school newspaper in 1923 and after graduation edited a black American weekly, the St Paul Appeal, before joining the staff of the Kansas City Call, another leading black weekly. He went on to join the NAACP and was instrumental in bringing to fruition school desegregation and the 1964 Civil Rights Act.