The Southern Christian Leadership Conference has scheduled its annual national convention this summer in the Sanford, Fla., area. The Florida state chapter extended the invitation to hold the conference there, said SCLC Chairman Bernard LaFayette Jr.
Sanford has been in the headlines lately as the city where a neighborhood watch volunteer allegedly shot and killed an African-American teen, whom he considered suspicious.
The killing of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, who was returning from a trip to a nearby store, sparked national protests and outrage. LaFayette said Martin's parents have been invited to attend the convention, which will be held July 19 through July 21. He said he expects a response later this week.
The location is significant because the Atlanta-based SCLC has been trying to attract younger members as others have questioned its continued relevance.
"We, as an organization, want to show our support for justice," said LaFayette, who joined local chapter officials in Sanford earlier this year to protest the killing and to call for the shooter's arrest. "There are people in that community, led by the family, who stood up for justice. This is what we're after -- people fighting for justice and truth. This is our organization's mission."
But Andra Gillespie, an assistant professor of political science at Emory University who has researched civil rights groups, said she didn't see much "value added" for the organization. "The leadership rift going on, the financial issues," she said. "They're not going to be overcome by going to Sanford."
The organization has recently undergone several changes and faced internal turmoil.
Last month, the SCLC announced that Issac Farris would no longer head the organization that was co-founded by his uncle, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. SCLC officials declined to say whether Farris resigned voluntarily or was asked to step aside.
"There were some people who wanted him to stay until the end of the year and others who felt like, at this point, he had done all he could do," LaFayette said.
Longtime civil rights leader, the Rev. C.T. Vivian replaced him and will serve as interim president until a new leader is named.
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