Publications
Publications
- October 1997 (Revised November 1997)
- HBS Case Collection
NAACP, The
By: James E. Austin, Paul Barese, Stephanie L. Woerner and Elaine V. Backman
Abstract
In February 1995, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the largest civil rights organization in the United States, was in the midst of a crisis. The executive director had been fired due to financial improprieties amid charges of sexual harassment. Immediately thereafter the board chairman came under fire as well. In a very close vote, Myrlie Evers-Williams, a long-standing board member, was elected the new board chair. She found herself leading an organization with severely diminished credibility and support, precarious finances, and a fractured board of directors. The case raises issues regarding board oversight, governance structure, and crisis leadership in a nonprofit setting.
Keywords
Crime and Corruption; Capital; Governance Controls; Resignation and Termination; Selection and Staffing; Rights; Leadership; Management; United States
Citation
Austin, James E., Paul Barese, Stephanie L. Woerner, and Elaine V. Backman. "NAACP, The ." Harvard Business School Case 398-039, October 1997. (Revised November 1997.)
