Chicago to host NAACP convention in 2026

The NAACP will bring its 117th annual convention to Chicago in 2026, the organization announced Sunday.

This will be the third time that Chicago has hosted the organization's convention. The event was held in the city in 1926 and 1994. The announcement comes on the eve of the Democratic National Convention, which runs Monday through Thursday at the United Center.

"It is no accident we are having this announcement at the start of the Democratic National Convention," said NAACP chief executive Derrick Johnson. He's referring to Vice President Kamala Harris accepting her party's nomination this week, making her the first Black woman to be nominated as a presidential candidate.

Gov. JB Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson attended the announcement on Sunday afternoon at the Haven Entertainment Center on the South Side. The convention will be held in July 2026. This year's convention was held last month in Las Vegas.

"The NAACP national convention provides an open and welcoming space for attendees to discuss their ideas and, of course, respond to ongoing pressure," Johnson said. "It's the ideas that are born from this convention that turn into impactful action throughout the year."