The Culpeper Branch of the NAACP, which also serves Madison and Rappahannock counties, will honor Rappahannock County native Nan Butler Roberts at its 2026 Freedom Fund banquet. The event will be held at Germanna Community College’s Daniel Technology Center in Culpeper on October 3 beginning at noon.
Roberts is well known throughout the Piedmont region for her community leadership and volunteering. Following a lengthy career working for the Fairfax County government, she returned to the area and lived in Culpeper for many years. She has served as the president of the Scrabble School Preservation Foundation since 2016, greatly increasing the historic Rosenwald school’s visibility, community use, fundraising, and outreach during her tenure.
Roberts has also served as a board member of the Shenandoah National Park Trust, and as a board member and adjunct faculty member of the Wakefield Country Day School in Huntly, Va. Her board appointments also include the Wayland Blue Ridge Baptist Association in Rixeyville. Roberts is a longtime member and former secretary of the NAACP Culpeper branch. In 2022, she was recognized as Rappahannock County “Citizen of the Year.”
Dr. Tashika Griffith will be the keynote speaker for the event. Griffith was named president of Germanna Community College (GCC) in January 2026. A highly accomplished education leader, she joined GCC after serving as campus provost at St. Petersburg College for nine years. She has also held senior administrative posts at the University of Scranton, the University of Miami, and the University of Tennessee. Griffith holds a Doctor of Education in Higher Education Administration from Northeastern University.
“Our theme this year is ‘Standing Strong for a Seat at the Table,” says NAACP Culpeper Branch President Kaleb J. Hackley. “This continues our ‘Standing Strong’ call to action for our members and friends. Both Nan Butler Roberts and Dr. Tashika Griffith are exemplary models for strong and engaged leadership. We are delighted to celebrate Nan’s decades of achievement and look forward to Dr. Griffith’s message as we continue to work for justice and equality in our community.”
Pastor Frank D. Lewis of Antioch Baptist Church in Madison is serving as the chair of the 2026 Freedom Fund banquet. For tickets and sponsorship opportunities, visit https://secure.actblue.com/donate/2026ffbanquet#basics or contact the branch at admin@naacpculpeper.org.
NAACP Culpeper regularly meets on the third Monday of each month at 6 p.m. Meetings are now held in the large conference room at the Culpeper County Library and are also available via Zoom. For meeting links and call-in information, contact admin@naacpculpeper.org. More information on the Culpeper Branch of the NAACP can be found at https://naacpculpeper.org/.
