While NAACP President Bruce S. Gordon received recognition and plenty of camera time during the organization’s annual Image Awards Friday night, little did viewers know that he was preparing to announce his resignation from the civil rights group within the next two days.
In an interview with the Associated Press after Friday’s broadcast in Los Angeles, Gordon says his decision was based on tension with board members over the group’s management style and future operations.
The nation’s oldest civil rights organization seemed to be thriving under Gordon’s tenure, which began 19 months ago with ambitious aims of bridging the gap between the group’s old guard and today’s youth.
The goal seemed more in reach than ever before during the well-received NAACP Image Awards ceremony, which included a moment that saw Bill Cosby raise a black power fist in support of host LL Cool J’s candid opening comments about the importance of older generations making an effort to understand black youth.
Gordon, 61, said he made the decision to resign in recent weeks and told the board at its annual meeting in New York City in mid-February. NAACP leaders were shocked by his decision and spent hours trying to get to the bottom of his reasoning, he said.
Gordon had no track record in traditional civil rights circles when he took over the NAACP on August 1, 2005. He had spent 35 years in the telecommunications industry and retired in 2003 from his post as president of the Retail Markets Group for Verizon Corp.
Asked about his plans after leaving the NAACP, Gordon said: “I’m going to catch my breath.”
