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After 10 years of volunteer service as the NAACP National Board
Chairman Julian Bond, 68, announced he would not seek reelection
when his term ends in February 2009.
"This is the time for renewal. We have dynamic new leadership. The
country has a new President in Barack Obama; the organization has a
new CEO in Benjamin Jealous, and we'll soon have a new Chairman of
the NAACP Board. The NAACP and the country are in good hands," he
added.
In a letter to Board members, Bond wrote that he would not run for
reelection as Chairman of the National Board, however he will
remain on the Board. He also intends to run for reelection to
the Board when his three-year term ends. "It has always been my
plan to serve until the Centennial which will be underway in
February when my term ends," said Bond. "I'm not resigning, I'm
just not running for reelection," he added.
NAACP Board members and officers are volunteers in elected
positions. The Chairmanship is a one-year term and Board
members serve a three-year term.
For Bond, this decision was part of a life change. "Being Chairman
has been a wonderful honor however, it has been more time demanding
than anything I’ve ever done. I'm ready to let a new generation of
leaders lead," he said.
“We appreciate Chairman Bond's commitment and look forward to his
continued active involvement on the Board,” said Benjamin Todd
Jealous.
Julian Bond was elected as the Chairman of the Board of NAACP in
1998. In 2002, Bond was awarded the National Freedom Award, a
prestigious award whose recipients in past years include Jackie
Robinson, Bill Clinton, Oprah Winfrey and Rosa Parks.
The holder of twenty-five honorary degrees, Bond is a Distinguished
Professor at American University in Washington, DC, and a Professor
in history at the University of Virginia.
About NAACP
Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the
nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization. Its members
throughout the United States and the world are the premier
advocates for civil rights in their communities, conducting voter
mobilization and monitoring equal opportunity in the public and
private sectors.
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