Colandus “Kelly” Francis is
President of the Camden County Branch of
the National Association of the Advancement
of Colored People (NAACP). Kelly was born in
Enfield, North Carolina, and lived in Newport
News, Virginia until his family moved to
Camden, NJ in 1949. He continues to reside in
the Parkside areas where his family members
have lived for the past 45 years.
Kelly is a graduate of Hatch Jr. High and
Camden High schools and attended Salem
County Community College, Pennsylvania State
University and Rutgers University. He worked
for 34 years for the U.S. Postal Service and
retired as an electronic technician in the field
of automation and computer technology in
1989.
While with the postal service, he served as a union officer for the American Postal
Workers Union, holding various offices including general president. He is currently
serving in several volunteer capacities as president of the Camden County NAACP,
vice president of the Camden City Taxpayers Association, vice chairman of Parkside
Business and Community in Partnership, member of the Camden City Early Childhood
Advisory Council, member of Superior Count Sensitivity and Cultural Awareness
(SCAN) committee, member of the Environmental Justice Advisory Council to the NJ
Department of Environmental Protection, member of the Board of Directors of the NJ
Work Environment Council (WEC), and chairman of the board of directors of the Fair
Share Housing Center.
He is the father of a daughter, Robyn, and two sons, Colandus, Jr. and Kevin, three
grandsons and four great grandchildren.