Jackson Says He Is No Longer Interested in Heading NAACP

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, citing a move by some NAACP board members to weaken the position of executive director, said Wednesday that he is no longer interested in heading the civil rights organization.

Jackson withdrew in a letter to NAACP Board Chairman William Gibson, dated Wednesday. The withdrawal came two days before the full board of the National Assn. for the Advancement of Colored People is to vote on a successor to Benjamin L. Hooks, who is to retire at the end of the month.

“Even if my No. 1 ranking is upheld by the full board of directors, it would not be in the best interest of the NAACP membership for me to continue to permit my name to be considered,” Jackson wrote in the five-page letter.

Jackson said he “had a chance to reflect” on a proposed rule change that would broaden the board’s powers over the NAACP’s day-to-day functions.

“The idea . . . is a substantial shift from the current constitution,” Jackson said. “A strong director--with meaningful powers and duties--is essential to a strong NAACP.

“I felt, then and now, that on the matter of constitutional changes, I would err on the side of conservatism because constitutional changes have such long-lasting effects,” he said. “Although I have withdrawn my name from consideration, I have not withdrawn my love, my respect and my hope for the NAACP’s survival and progress.”

The NAACP, the nation’s oldest civil rights organization, has half a million members.

Jackson indicated that he would not attend the Friday meeting in Atlanta. An ordained Baptist minister, Jackson said the meeting conflicted with the Easter holiday.

His withdrawal came amid rumors in NAACP circles that many chapters--as well as some black Americans who look to the NAACP for leadership--objected to Jackson’s candidacy.

His supporters argued that Jackson’s national visibility would be good for the organization. Opponents argued that the NAACP needs new blood among its leadership.

Howard University political scientist Ron Walters, an adviser to Jackson’s 1988 presidential campaign, said his departure “really says more about the NAACP than it does about Rev. Jackson.”

The other candidates for the job are the Rev. Benjamin Chavis, 45, head of the United Church of Christ’s Commission for Racial Justice; Jewell Jackson McCabe, 47, founder of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, and Earl Shinhoster, 42, NAACP Southeastern regional director.

THE CHALLENGES AHEAD: The NAACP isn’t merely looking for a new leader, it is seeking a new direction. E1