'We have to stand up:' Poor People's Campaign rings in 2018 with renewed passion for issues

The NAACP teamed up with the Poor People's Campaign at Pullen Memorial Baptist Church to ring in the new year Sunday night with a renewed sense of passion for long-standing issues on their agenda.

Posted 2:51 a.m. Jan 1, 2018 — Updated 3:51 a.m. Jan 1, 2018

RALEIGH, N.C. — The NAACP teamed up with the Poor People’s Campaign at Pullen Memorial Baptist Church to ring in the new year Sunday night with a renewed sense of passion for long-standing issues on their agenda.

Watch Night service is an African-American tradition that has been around for over 100 years, but a mix of people attended Sunday night’s service.

The Poor People’s Campaign viewed the service as a fresh call to action. The goal was to highlight issues the organization has always focused on, including poverty, racism, environmental destruction and other controversial topics.

The organization also called for everyone in attendance to renew their commitment to the cause.

“In every age, people have to decide to stand up just like they did on the first Watch Night. They had to say ‘we’re going to stand up and take on the system of slavery.’ We have to stand up and take on the systems of oppression. We do not have the luxury of sitting down,” said Rev. William Barber.

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