Washington – NAACP President Benjamin Jealous, who oversaw a historic vote to endorse same-sex marriage, will step down from his post at the end of the year.
Jealous, 40, served as president of the nation’s most prominent civil rights organization for five years. He is in the first year of a three year contract. Jealous said he wants to teach at the university level and spend more time with his young family.
The issue of same-sex marriage has long divided the black community. Yet less than a week after President Obama publicly supported same-sex marriage, Jealous pushed the NAACP board to follow suit at its national conference in Miami in May 2012.
All but two of the organization’s board members, who include many religious leaders, backed the resolution supporting same-sex marriage.
“Civil marriage is a matter of civil law,” the group said, citing the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause.
Jealous told the Associated Press recently that a broader coalition is needed to fight the civil rights battles of the 21st century.
“Last century, we needed lawyers; this century we need big, broad coalitions,” he said. “When extremists decide to attack our communities, they must hope that there will be infighting. But we have stood all for one and one for all. That is how we will win.”
Jealous will officially step down Dec. 31. NAACP officials said they do not yet have a place in place to replace him.
