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  • October 1997 (Revised November 1997)
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NAACP, The

By: James E. Austin, Paul Barese, Stephanie L. Woerner and Elaine V. Backman
  • Format:Print
  • | Pages:21
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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.)
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About The Author

James E. Austin

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  • Responsible Leadership and Transformative Cross-sector Partnering By: James E. Austin, M. H. Jaén, E. Reficco and A. Vernis
  • Key Success Factors in Environmental Entrepreneurship: The Case of Wilderness Safaris By: James E. Austin, Megan Epler Woods and Herman B. Leonard
  • Generating Social Entrepreneurship Knowledge: International Research Collaboration on a Hemispheric Level By: James E. Austin, Gabriel Berger, Rosa Amelia González, Roberto Gutiérrez, Iván D. Lobo and Alfred Vernis
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