Bass Reeves Gun Club Highlights Rise of Black Gun Ownership in Atlanta

The National African American Gun Association (NAAGA) was founded in 2015 by Philip Smith to educate and empower African Americans to exercise their Second Amendment rights. Over the past decade the organization has expanded to more than 100 chapters across the United States.

The Bass Reeves Gun Club (BRGC), the founding NAAGA chapter in metropolitan Atlanta, describes itself as a pro‑Second Amendment community that promotes firearms safety, education, proficiency and shooting sports. President Larry Brown Jr. says the club is reshaping public perceptions of gun owners by providing a welcoming space for people of all backgrounds to learn and build confidence.

Black women have become the fastest‑growing segment of gun owners. One female member cited repeated break‑ins and harassment near her East Atlanta home as the motivation for her decision to become a responsible gun owner, reflecting a broader shift away from the stereotype of the typical gun owner as a white male.