National Rifle Association
The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) is a gun rights advocacy group based in the United States. Founded in 1871 to advance rifle marksmanship, the modern NRA has become a prominent gun rights lobbying organization while continuing to teach firearm safety and competency. The organization also publishes several magazines and sponsors competitive marksmanship events. According to the NRA, it had nearly 5 million members as of December 2018, though that figure has not been independently confirmed.
Some of the key events about National Rifle Association
- 1871Founded to promote marksmanship and firearm safety
- 1903Established the National Board for the Promotion of Rifle Practice
- 1907Began youth shooting programs to teach firearm safety and marksmanship
- 1920Helped establish the Civilian Marksmanship Program
- 1934Supported the National Firearms Act to regulate certain firearms
- 1934Supported the National Firearms Act, which imposed taxes and registration requirements on certain firearms
- 1949Launched hunter education programs to promote safe hunting practices
- 1960Established the NRA Police Firearms Instructor certification program
- 1968Backed the Gun Control Act, restricting interstate firearms transfers except among licensed manufacturers, dealers, and importers
- 1975Founded the Institute for Legislative Action to advocate for gun rights
- 1986Supported the Firearm Owners Protection Act, which banned civilian ownership of new machine guns
- 1988Introduced the Eddie Eagle GunSafe program to teach children about firearm safety
- 1990Established the National Firearms Museum to preserve firearm history
- 1993Initially supported the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, mandating federal background checks on firearm purchasers
- 1999Advocated for fewer gun restrictions in the wake of the Columbine High School shooting
- 2000Opposed lawsuit protection for gun manufacturers, leading to criticism from some members
- 2012Proposed putting armed security guards in schools following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting
- 2016Faced accusations of misusing member dues for personal expenses of executives
- 2018Sued by New York State Attorney General for alleged financial misconduct
- 2020Attempted to file for bankruptcy to avoid legal action, which was later dismissed by a federal judge
Disclaimer: This material is written based on information taken from open sources, including Wikipedia, news media, podcasts, and other public sources.