New Leader of NAACP

Benjamin Jealous - The New Leader for the NAACP

AAPP: Does he have the right Stuff? Will he actually bridge generation gap? Or will he be fired when he wants to make the changes that are needed? Candidly I'm not very hopeful. I do hope he can chill out and not be a womanizer like previous NAACP leaders. We have heard the bring in a younger leader conversation before with Ben Chavious. Didn't work then.

Benjamin Jealous, 35

President of the NAACP

A new chapter began for the NAACP Saturday after it elected the youngest president in its history. As reported by wjz.com

Peggy Lee reports the election of this new president has significant meaning for the future of the organization.

Benjamin Jealous, 35, appeared at ease as he greeted members of the association he will now be leading.

Jealous was named as the 17th president of the NAACP, a position left vacant by the abrupt resignation of Bruce Gordon in March 2007.

"This is a great day for the NAACP on the announcement of a new leader for NAACP. As you know, his name is Benjamin Jealous. He's a Rhodes Scholar, a man of enormous achievement at a very young age," said Julian Bond, NAACP Chairman.

"This is a big day. Across the country there are people in my generation who have checked out of this organization, and this is my day to say it is time to check back in," said Jealous.

Jealous was chosen by the 64-member board after an eight hour, closed-door meeting. More HERE

Darryl Fears at The Washington Post is also covering the NAACP story and notes, "The NAACP selected Benjamin Todd Jealous as its president yesterday, tapping a young, Oxford University-educated activist to lead the nation's oldest civil rights group." Read More HERE

Not everyone is happy with the NAACP Board Board decision. Shawn Williams of the Dallas south blog has been following the selection process and says, "I can only think that the selection of Jealous and his support among the NAACP brass i.e. Julian Bond means more business as usual. I’ll leave it at that."