Rachel Dolezal, the NAACP chapter president in Spokane, Washington, whose racial identity was called into question by her parents and the media last week, has resigned, she announced in a Facebook post Monday. Dolezal's biological parents claim she is white, though Dolezal identifies as black and mixed-race and has reported being a victim of hate crimes via mail multiple times.
I am delighted that so many organizations and individuals have supported and collaborated with the Spokane NAACP under my leadership to grow this branch into one of the healthiest in the nation in 5 short months. In the eye of this current storm, I can see that a separation of family and organizational outcomes is in the best interest of the NAACP. [Facebook]
Dolezal's announcement comes after she postponed a meeting in which she was expected to address the controversy. The national NAACP organization has said they stood by Dolezal's leadership.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.