- Graduate of the University of California at Davis
- 2015 – Founder of NAAGA National African American Gun Association
National African American Gun Association
- February 28, 2015 Created NAAGA
The Daily Bullet – Philip Smith – National African American Gun Association
Dec 24, 2020
About Philip Smith
Philip Smith is the founder and president of the National African American Gun Association (NAAGA), one of the largest organizations focused on firearms ownership and training in the Black community. A native of Vallejo, California, he attended UC Berkeley and graduated from UC Davis with degrees in history and economics, then worked as a human resources consultant. After moving to the Atlanta area in 2002 he developed a strong interest in firearms, and on February 28, 2015, timed to Black History Month, he launched NAAGA.
The organization’s mission is to teach African Americans to shoot safely, promote self-protection and build community among gun owners, and it describes itself as a civil rights group that stays politically neutral and does not endorse candidates. Smith ran NAAGA largely on his own in its early years. Membership tripled after the 2016 election, according to NPR, and the group has reported tens of thousands of members and well over 100 local chapters nationwide, with women making up a large share of its membership. NAAGA’s growth has made it a frequent reference point in national coverage of new and first-time gun owners.
Key Facts
- 2002: Moves to the Atlanta area, where his interest in firearms develops
- February 28, 2015: Founds the National African American Gun Association
- March 2018: NPR reports NAAGA membership tripled after the 2016 election
- 2020: Wikipedia cites more than 45,000 members and about 75 chapters
- Later reporting by Outdoor Life cites roughly 125 chapters, with about 60 percent of members female
Sources
- Philip Smith on African-American Gun Rights, History, and Having Nothing to Prove (Outdoor Life)
- African-American Gun Rights Group Grows In The Age Of Trump (NPR)
- National African American Gun Association (Wikipedia)
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