Woman posing as black resigns
NAACP official faced pressure after her parents revealed she is white
SPOKANE, Wash. — The president of the NAACP’s Spokane chapter resigned Monday amid a furor over racial identity that erupted when her parents came forward to say she has been posing as black for years when she is actually white.
The announcement, which was posted on the Facebook page of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said the attention surrounding Rachel Dolezal has distracted from the group’s goals.
“The dialogue has unexpectedly shifted internationally to my personal identity in the context of defining race and ethnicity,” according to a statement attributed to Dolezal.
“I am consistently committed to empowering marginalized voices and believe that many individuals have been heard in the last hours and days that would not otherwise have had a platform to weigh in on this important discussion.”
Spokane is investigating whether she lied about her ethnicity when she was appointed to the city’s police oversight board. Her application said her ethnic origins included white, black and American Indian.
Dolezal, 37, attended historically black Howard University, teaches African studies at a university and was married to a black man. For years, she has publicly complained of being the victim of racial harassment in the heavily white region.
The uproar over racial authenticity and professional honesty unfolded last week after Dolezal’s parents said their daughter is white, with a trace of Native American heritage. They produced photos of her as girl with a pale complexion and straight blond hair.
Her mother, Ruthanne Dolezal of Troy, Mont., who is estranged from her daughter, said Rachel began to “disguise herself” after her parents adopted four African-American children more than a decade ago.
Rachel Dolezal initially dismissed the controversy, saying it arose from litigation between other relatives who have divided the family. Late last week, the national NAACP stood by her, saying “one’s racial identity is not a qualifying criteria or disqualifying standard for NAACP leadership.”
But she had come under increasing pressure from local chapter members to resign. Kitara Johnson, an NAACP member in Spokane who has been calling on Dolezal to step down, welcomed the resignation.
“That’s the best thing that can happen right now,” Johnson said. “We are going to stand in unity and solidarity.”
Johnson said the most important thing is to focus on the work of the NAACP, but she hopes Dolezal remains a member of the organization.
Cornell William Brooks, national president of the NAACP, declined to comment.
Dolezal’s parents appeared on the Today show Monday and said they hoped to reconcile with their daughter.
“We hope that Rachel will get the help that she needs to deal with her identity issues. Of course, we love her,” Ruthanne Dolezal said.
“The dialogue has unexpectedly shifted internationally to my personal identity in the context of defining race and ethnicity. RACHEL DOLEZAL FORMER PRESIDENT NAACP, SPOKANE