Press releases and programs [2 of 2]

              KELLY  M.   ALEXANDER,   SR.
112 North Irwin Avenue
Charlotte, N. C. 28202
Telephone: 704 - 376-6909 or 333-1 167 February 17, 1976
Dear State Conference President:
I am writing to inform you as to the details of the announced
retirement of Mr. Roy Wilkins, the Executive Director of the NAACP.
It is my position that, after the pledge of confidentiality was
lifted and Mr. Wilkins made the announcement to the news media, there
is nothing wrong with me, as a member of the Committee on the Election
of National Officers and a National Board Member, to inform Presidents
of State Conferences in Region 5 the true facts concerning the retirement of Mr. Wilkins.  In view of the fact that the National Convention
this year is meeting in Region 5 in Memphis, Tenn., the Region 5 State
Conference leadership should be intelligent on this matter of retirement of Mr. Wilkins.
I understand there may be an effort to imply that the action of
the Committee and Board had as it motive and intent to get rid of Mr.
Wilkins.  These allegations are  not true and it is necessary that you,
as an NAACP Leader, know the truth.
THE FACTS
The Committee on the Election of National Officers was appointed
by National Board of Directors Chairman, Mrs. Margaret Bush Wilson, at
the September 8, 1975, National Board of Directors Meeting.  The Committee Members were: Mr. James Kemp of Chicago, Illinois; Mr. Emmitt
Douglas of Louisiana; Mrs. Jeanette Strong of Indiana; Dr. Buell
Gallagher of New York; and Kelly M. Alexander, Sr. of Charlotte, N. C.
Mr, James Kemp acted as Chairman of the Committee and reported the details of the work of the Committee and recommendations at the January,
1976, Meeting of the National Board of Directors.
The Committee's Chairman, Mr. James Kemp, upon request of the
Committee, assigned the task of discussing with Mr. Wilkins the subject
of the orderly transition and time schedules for retirement.  Mr. Bue
Gallagher accepted the assignment and notified Mr. Kemp on September 17,
1975, that he had met with Mr. Wilkins and that Mr. Wilkins has affirmative proposals as to orderly transition and time schedules.
Mr. Wilkins suggested the date of November 14, 1975, for a meeting
of the Committee with him in his office.  Committee members were notified by the Chairman and the Committee formally convened at 1:00 P.M.,
November 14, 1975, in the New York Sheraton Hotel, prior to meeting
with Mr. Wilkins on the same date at 3:00 P.M.
Mr. Kemp, the Chairman, was instructed by unanimous vote, to say
to Mr. Wilkins, that the Committee pledged itself to observe confidentiality, so that this delicate matter would not become subject to common gossip and idle rumors, and further, the Committee instructed the
Chairman to say to Mr. Wilkins, that in view of Dr. Gallagher's communication with him, the Committee's role at this meeting would be to
listen to Mr. Wilkin's proposal, and then the Committee would retire
back to its recessed meeting in the New York Sheraton Hotel at 7:00 P.M.
the same date.
I want to report that the meeting with Mr. Wilkins and the Committee
was cordial and without rancor or disagreeableness.  The tone of the
meeting was mutual interest in cooperatively solving a difficult and
sensitive problem.  Mr. Wilkins expressed, at the meeting, his views
on transition and time schedules.
The Committee, after meeting with Mr. Wilkins, reconvened its
conference at 7:00 P.M. and discussed Mr. Wilkins proposal, and during
the meeting, by unanimous vote, decided on amendments to Mr. Wilkins
proposal.