NAACP Board Ousts Chavis From Top Post

The NAACP board of directors voted nearly unanimously Saturday to oust Executive Director Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. because of his management of the organization’s finances and handling of a former aide’s sexual discrimination complaint.

Board Chairman William Gibson told reporters Saturday night that “after immense deliberation (it) has voted to end the tenure of Benjamin F. Chavis as its executive director.” He added: “This decision was not easy nor pleasant.”

Gibson said the decision was made after an eight-hour, closed-door meeting. The 64-member board, he said, decided that Chavis had embarked on a course of conduct that was not in the best interest of the NAACP.

Minutes after Gibson’s comments, Chavis emerged from the NAACP headquarters with his wife, Martha. Chavis was defiant and characterized his firing as “a lynching.” He pledged--as supporters cheered him in the background--to continue to be their “freedom fighter.”

“I am obviously somewhat shaken by the decision of the national board of directors,” Chavis said. “I stand tonight a victim of an orchestrated campaign to defame me, my character and my integrity. However, I stand tonight as a freedom fighter. I am undaunted, unbowed and unbossed.”

Gibson said the organization will be managed on a day-to-day basis for the next 30 to 60 days by a management team while a search is conducted for a permanent leader. Earl T. Shinhoster, the national field secretary, will serve as interim senior administrator, Gibson said. He will be assisted by Fred Rasheed, director of economic development.

Chavis’ fall from grace appears to have been clinched last month when the board learned that he had secretly committed $332,400 in NAACP funds to settle a threatened sexual discrimination lawsuit by former aide Mary E. Stansel.

The directors were told that Chavis already had spent $64,000 in NAACP funds as part of the settlement, which obligated the organization to help Stansel find an $80,000-a-year job or pay her an additional lump sum of $250,000.

The removal of Chavis ends a stormy, 16-month tenure during which the veteran civil rights activist tried to revitalize a respected, but somewhat tradition-bound organization that had come under fire from younger blacks for not tackling cutting-edge issues like crime and drugs.

Chavis tried to breathe new life into the National Assn. for the Advancement of Colored People by attempting to broker a truce between street gangs and by forging ties to confrontational public figures such as Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan. Those efforts were viewed with concern by some traditional supporters, and Chavis’ problems were compounded by complaints about his handling of NAACP finances. An estimated $3-million budget deficit incurred since Chavis took over the organization.

Besides the Stansel matter, Chavis’ cause was hurt by the revelation last week of an allegation of sexual harassment made by another former NAACP employee, Susan Tisdale. Although Tisdale later expressed her support for Chavis, legal papers citing the earlier accusation and demanding a $100,000 settlement were among the documents given to 59 of the board’s 64 members who were present for the meeting.

Gibson, a former ally of Chavis, said a planned NAACP leadership summit meeting of African American leaders here today had been canceled. But in his remarks, Chavis said the meeting would take place at a Baltimore church--instead of the NAACP headquarters--and that he would be joined by Farrakhan.

“We are not going to let the lynching that took place here tonight stop us from having the summit,” Chavis said.

Chavis has characterized the leadership meeting as his attempt to bring together leaders from across the political spectrum to seek common answers to the plight of black Americans. The first such session in June drew fire from prominent blacks as well as whites because of Farrakhan’s participation.