Former NAACP President Sits Down with Black Voices
By AOL Black Voices,
NEW YORK -- In his first few weeks after taking office as President of the NAACP in 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast.
"Day five I was in New Orleans," says Bruce L. Gordon.
It was as the newly minted president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, that Gordon truly understood that black America was in bad shape.
bruce gordon interview on black voices
Video internview of former NAACP President Bruce Gordon
BV Presents: Former NAACP President Bruce Gordon
19 Months at the NAACP
The former Verizon executive called his 19-month term as NAACP president an amazing learning experience. In the first 30 days of taking office at the NAACP, Katrina struck the Gulf Coast. It was during his time as president he said for the first time he learned that black America is not well.
Gordon on the Post-Civil Rights Era
The "Post Civil-Rights Era"
Gordon says he doesn’t agree with the term "Post Civil-Rights Era." Voting rights and poll access for blacks is just as important today as it was then. Essentially, he says, the progress made in the civil right movement is in danger today.
Gordon on a "Historic" Election
The Most "Historic" Election of our Lifetime
In the months before the presidential primary, what Bruce Gordon calls the most historic election of the century, he says voter protections for African Americans are still needed. He also says voters must to work to be more informed and not make popularity-based decisions.
Gordon on Don Imus Affair
The Don Imus Affair
Gordon touches on the Don Imus affair, saying that it is a complex discussion. "He crossed the line," he says. "I appreciate the fact that it led to a broader discussion."
Gordon on Corporate Diversity Efforts
Inclusion and Diversity in Corporate America
Gordon says that companies that champion diversity perform better and it is the most important indicator of a company’s integrity and overall health.
Gordon on What's Next
What’s Next for Bruce Gordon?
Gordon weighs his options and vows to remain engaged in finding solutions to help the black community.
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On the Bus 7
He served as president 19 months for the NAACP, a nearly 100-year-old organization.
Three months after his stepping down, Gordon sat down with AOL Black Voices Editor-in-Chief Nick Charles to talk about everything from his recent departure from the historic association to the so-called "post civil-rights era."
Gordon called his 19-month term as NAACP president an amazing learning experience and "the shortest and longest" tenure of his career.
"What I learned about black America is that it is the best of times for some, and the worst of times for many," Gordon says.
Gordon doesn't agree with the term "Post Civil-Rights Era." Voting rights and poll access for blacks is just as important and in danger today as it was then, he says. Gordon warns that the progress made in the civil-rights movement remains threatened, even today.
"We are not in a post civil-rights area. We are in a different civil-rights era," Gordon says.
The issue of blacks voting comes up months before the presidential primary, what he calls the most historic election of the century, with Sen. Barack Obama seeking the Democratic nomination. African Americans need voter activation and voter protection programs, in his opinion, just as badly as they need a black U.S. President. Gordon told BV that voters also need to work to be more informed and not make popularity-based decisions.
Former NAACP president, Bruce Gordon, sat down with BV to speak on an array of issues including the NAACP, Don Imus, and the "Post-Civil Rights Era."
"It's not just a matter of voting for the face you see," Gordon says.
Gordon touched on the Don Imus affair as well, saying that it is a complex discussion. The former Verizon executive also hit on inclusion and diversity in corporate America, a subject he recently discussed at AOL's Headquarters in Dulles, Va.
"He crossed the line," he says of Imus. "I appreciate the fact that it led to a broader discussion."
What's next for Gordon, who turned 61 this year? Check out the videos and see.
2006-01-10 16:10:49
