At the start of their convention in Charm City, the nation's oldest civil rights organization, NAACP board of directors named the now former Vice Chairman, Derrick Johnson as interim president & CEO, effective immediately. In a released statement, Board of Directors Chairman Leon Russell said Johnson was "battle tested and “qualified individual to guide the NAACP.”
In May, the national board of directors ousted former president and CEO, Cornell Brooks, who served in the post for only three years. During his stint in NAACP leadership, Brooks was a very outspoken critic of President Donald Trump. At that time, the board said Brooks' dismissal was part of "system wide refresh." Brooks, responded to the move on Twitter, saying in part, that he was "disappointed, but determined to go forward justice." Cornell Brooks left his leadership post at NAACP at the end of last month.
As for the elevation of Derrick Johnson as interim president and CEO, the board of directors released this statement:
BALTIMORE – The NAACP, the nation’s oldest and largest nonpartisan civil rights organization, names vice chairman of the board of directors Derrick Johnson as interim president and CEO, effective immediately. The unanimous decision was made by the executive committee of the board of directors during the Association’s 108th annual convention in Baltimore, Maryland. The NAACP released the following statement.
“I am thrilled to announce that my friend and colleague Derrick Johnson has been appointed to interim president and CEO. I could not think of a better, more battle-tested or more qualified individual to guide the NAACP through this transition period,” said Leon Russell, Board Chairman of the NAACP. “Derrick’s longtime service with the Association will allow him to take decisive action to deal with daily challenges. He will also serve as the primary spokesman for the NAACP. I have every confidence in Derrick and will support him in this new endeavor every step of the way .”
“It is truly an honor and a privilege to be named the interim president and CEO of an organization that I’ve served for decades,” said Derrick Johnson, interim president and CEO of the NAACP. “There’s a lot of work that needs to be done and we won’t waste any time getting to it. We are facing unprecedented threats to our democracy and we will not be sidelined while our rights are being eroded every day. We remain steadfast and immovable, and stand ready on the front lines of the fight for justice.”
Derrick Johnson will serve as interim president and CEO until a new president is named. Derrick Johnson formerly served as vice chairman of the NAACP National Board of Directors as well as State President for the Mississippi State Conference NAACP. The first vice chair of the Mississippi State Conference NAACP will assume leadership of the state conference operations. Derrick’s full biography is available here.
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About the NAACP
Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation’s oldest and largest nonpartisan civil rights organization. Its members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities. You can read more about the NAACP by visiting http://www.naacp.org/.