In a recent development in Houston, the State Bar of Texas has pulled back an invitation extended to Derrick Johnson, president of the NAACP, to speak at its annual meeting set for June in San Antonio. This decision comes in the wake of the NAACP’s challenge to the Trump administration’s rollback of the Education Department, which the bar describes as politically charged and thus inappropriate under its current guidelines regarding speaking topics. Johnson expressed surprise at the withdrawal of his speaking engagement, asserting that his slated presentation was not political.
Johnson was scheduled to address attendees on Juneteenth, a historic day in which the United States commemorates the proclamation of enslaved people’s freedom in 1865. At the heart of the matter is a lawsuit initiated by the NAACP and aligned civil rights groups challenging President Trump’s executive order aimed at dismantling the Education Department. This legal action claims that such policy changes threaten vital functions meant to protect students from discrimination and support educational programs.
Trey Apffel, the executive director of the Texas State Bar, explained the cancellation, emphasizing the organization’s mandate to remain politically neutral, a stipulation that reflects a judicial ruling by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in November 2023. The bar operates under the oversight of the Texas Supreme Court, which insists that it steer clear of situations even vaguely perceived as political. According to Apffel, the NAACP’s lawsuit inherently takes a political stance by challenging the federal administration’s directive.
Johnson, in disagreement with Apffel’s interpretation, maintained that the lawsuit is fundamentally a legal questioning of presidential authority, an area of focus for both lawyers and the NAACP. He recounted a previous conversation with Apffel, during which he confirmed that his address would remain nonpolitical.
In correspondence directed to Apffel and the bar, Johnson pointed out what he described as a “glaring inconsistency” in their decision, noting the previous invitation extended to former U.S. Attorney General William Barr for the 2023 annual meeting. Barr’s participation drew controversy due to his past actions related to voting integrity issues during Trump’s tenure. Apffel remarked that Barr’s inclusion was warranted at the time due to his relevance to a legal audience, but acknowledged that under present regulations, Barr would no longer fit the criteria for an invited speaker.
Former State Bar President Laura Gibson defended the choice to have Barr speak, emphasizing the importance of upholding free speech for diverse viewpoints, especially amid today’s heightened political divides. She argued that lawyers should actively protect the speech of both popular and controversial figures alike.
Apffel closed by expressing his respect for Derrick Johnson and the NAACP’s contributions, while indicating that former Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Wallace B. Jefferson, himself a notable figure in Texas’s legal landscape and a Black leader, would now deliver the Juneteenth address in Johnson’s stead.
Derrick Johnson questioned the broader implications of these decisions for democracy, suggesting that they challenge the extent to which constitutional values, especially those relating to free speech, are honored.