Julian Bond to not seek re-election as chairman of NAACP

Julian Bond, longtime chairman of the NAACP, has informed board members that he will retire and not seek re-election, multiple board sources confirmed to me today.

Bond, who has been seen as a stabilizing force by some and by others as the a reason for the NAACP's troubles in recent years, wrote a letter to the board stating that it's time for a change at the top of the nation's largest and oldest civil rights organization.

Details to follow, including his letter, only on Essence.com. Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with SprintSpeed

Comments

[touch]

Roland... you have a good blog here.. I like it.. it talks "real"

[Michael]

As much as I respect Julian Bond and what he has done, it really is time for him to step down. The NAACP needs and injection of youth and vigor from the top down. It also needs to start running itself like a 21st Century organization instead of a stale 20th Century organization. Bond has time his time and it's time for someone else to lead the NAACP in the future.

[Generational Divide]

Did he use the same NAACP letterhead used to stab Obama in the back with, for his letter of resignation. The NAACP letterhead used to write to the DNC to overturn their decision to allow Michigan's and Florida's delegates votes. Hard to believe that such a devious act would stain such an illustrious life. But it was such a visible act to draw question as to how he was Advancing Color People by not supporting Obama's campaign who was playing by the rules. Clinton was so blatantly breaking the rules. Sadly, I'd never trust or support Bond or the NAACP.

[iawill]

I agree with all points made thus far - it is time for Bond to step down and for the NAACP to get a real make over. Civil Rights has been and will remain an important issue for years to come but the organization needs to change how they address issues. They cannot use the same methods from the 1950s and 1960s to address issues of the 21st century. For one thing, the NAACP needs to become more proactive about issues plaguing the Black/African American Community. Lately, they have waited for things to happen and then react. They need to get into the community and talk to folks about parenting their children, deal with the issues of Black on Black crime instead of waiting for the police to deal with the matter and then proclaim that an injustice was done. An annual convention that yields a report of the issues does nothing to actually address the issues -- it only brings the issues to light.