In the past, there have been prominent civil rights leaders, labor leaders, educators, clergy, and activists, whose opinions were heeded and sought after. Today, there is not an individual or organization who fulfills that role. As our society becomes more threatening to the welfare of people of color, the danger must now be recognized, and a defense must be initiated. In 1905, W.E.B. Dubois and William Monroe Trotter, called together 29 Black intellectuals, clergy and activists to Niagara Falls to develop a plan to address the systematic oppression of Black Americans. The group was intentionally elite and relatively small. The Niagara Movement held annual conferences where members debated policy, issued public declarations and planned future actions. This Movement served as a precursor to the NAACP. A movement or commission is needed now which borrows from the logic and urgency of the Niagara Movement, including a critical analysis of the threats, opportunities and challenges confronting Black America. Shown are some members of the Niagara Movement.