National NAACP, Local Chapter Announce Pact

The national office of the NAACP and the local Beverly Hills-Hollywood chapter on Monday announced a unity pact to end a lengthy dispute within the civil rights organization.

The national office in Maryland removed the “administratorship” it placed on the chapter in 1989 and restored its autonomy, said William F. Gibson, chairman of the national Board of Directors. However, he said the national office will not return control of the annual Image Awards to the local chapter, which originated the entertainment industry awards more than two decades ago as its major fund-raising event.

Sandra Evers-Manly, president of the chapter, said that there has been encouraging dialogue between the chapter and NAACP national office. “We need to work in unity in order to confront the many disparities that exist in Hollywood,” she said.