Benjamin Jealous
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Todd Jealous is the current president and chief executive officer of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
(NAACP). He is the youngest ever national leader of the organization.
and grew up in Monterey Peninsula
, California
. His mother, who is black
, met his father, who is white
, while teaching junior high school in Baltimore.
Jealous holds an A.B.
in political science from Columbia University
and a master's degree
in comparative social research from Oxford University where he was a Rhodes Scholar. Jealous went to York School
in Monterey for high school.
He is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi
fraternity and is affiliated with the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter.
, with his wife, Lia Epperson, a law professor at American University, and a civil rights attorney, and their daughter, Morgan.
Prior to his appointment, he was President of the Rosenberg Foundation, a private independent nonprofit venture capital organization.
Previously he served as director of the US Human Rights Program at Amnesty International
. While there, he focused on issues such as federal legislation against prison rape, racial profiling, and expose the sentencing of children to life without the possibility of parole. He is the lead author of the 2004 report Threat and Humiliation: Racial Profiling, Domestic Security, and Human Rights in the United States, which received coverage by major media outlets in most states and on six continents.
Formerly, Jealous served as Executive Director of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), a federation of more than 200 black community newspapers.
During the mid-1990s,Jealous served as Managing Editor of the Jackson Advocate
, Mississippi
's oldest historically black newspaper. His reporting was credited with exposing corruption amongst high-ranking officials at the state prison in Parchman, and helping to acquit a small farmer who had been wrongfully accused of arson.
He initially came to Mississippi as a field organizer on a campaign to stop the state's plan to close two of its three public historically black universities, and convert one of them into a prison.
Jealous began his career as an organizer with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund working on issues of healthcare access. He is a member of the Asia Society
as well as a board member of Northern California Grantmakers and the California Council for the Humanities.
In 2009, Jealous received the John Jay Award
for distinguished professional achievement from Columbia College.
He was also recently announced as the Class Day speaker at his alma mater, Columbia University
.
reported that "no one clapped or celebrated," according to one board member after the meeting. According to CNN, Jealous was the only finalist presented by the search committee to the full board for consideration despite there being other qualified candidates. Although some board members wanted to examine two others whom the search committee identified as finalists, Jealous's supporters, including Chairman Julian Bond
, prevented their presentation to the board.
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, usually abbreviated as NAACP, is an African-American civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909. Its mission is "to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to...
(NAACP). He is the youngest ever national leader of the organization.
Early life and education
Jealous was born in Pacific Grove, CaliforniaPacific Grove, California
Pacific Grove is a coastal city in Monterey County, California, USA, with a population of 15,041 as of the 2010 census, down from 15,522 as of the 2000 census...
and grew up in Monterey Peninsula
Monterey Peninsula
The Monterey Peninsula is located on the central California coast and comprises the cities of Monterey, Carmel, and Pacific Grove, and unincorporated areas of Monterey County including the resort and community of Pebble Beach.-Monterey:...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. His mother, who is black
Black people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...
, met his father, who is white
White people
White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
, while teaching junior high school in Baltimore.
Jealous holds an A.B.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in political science from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
and a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in comparative social research from Oxford University where he was a Rhodes Scholar. Jealous went to York School
York School (California)
York School is a coeducational day school consisting of about 235 students on a hilltop near Highway 68 in Monterey, California.-History:York was founded in 1959 with 12 seventh-grade boys and two teachers. For the first year, only seventh-grade boys were admitted, but it was planned that a grade...
in Monterey for high school.
He is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi
Kappa Alpha Psi
Kappa Alpha Psi is a collegiate Greek-letter fraternity with a predominantly African American membership. Since the fraternity's founding on January 5, 1911 at Indiana University Bloomington, the fraternity has never limited membership based on color, creed or national origin...
fraternity and is affiliated with the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter.
Career
Currently, Jealous is President of the NAACP. At the time of his appointment, Jealous lived in Alameda, CaliforniaAlameda, California
Alameda is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. It is located on Alameda Island and Bay Farm Island, and is adjacent to Oakland in the San Francisco Bay. The Bay Farm Island portion of the city is adjacent to the Oakland International Airport. At the 2010 census, the city had a...
, with his wife, Lia Epperson, a law professor at American University, and a civil rights attorney, and their daughter, Morgan.
Prior to his appointment, he was President of the Rosenberg Foundation, a private independent nonprofit venture capital organization.
Previously he served as director of the US Human Rights Program at Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
. While there, he focused on issues such as federal legislation against prison rape, racial profiling, and expose the sentencing of children to life without the possibility of parole. He is the lead author of the 2004 report Threat and Humiliation: Racial Profiling, Domestic Security, and Human Rights in the United States, which received coverage by major media outlets in most states and on six continents.
Formerly, Jealous served as Executive Director of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), a federation of more than 200 black community newspapers.
During the mid-1990s,Jealous served as Managing Editor of the Jackson Advocate
Jackson Advocate
Jackson Advocate is an African-American weekly newspaper in Jackson, Mississippi founded in 1938 by Percy Greene. Mr. Greene was a veteran of World War I and was a Civil Rights leader in the 1940s and 1950s...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
's oldest historically black newspaper. His reporting was credited with exposing corruption amongst high-ranking officials at the state prison in Parchman, and helping to acquit a small farmer who had been wrongfully accused of arson.
He initially came to Mississippi as a field organizer on a campaign to stop the state's plan to close two of its three public historically black universities, and convert one of them into a prison.
Jealous began his career as an organizer with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund working on issues of healthcare access. He is a member of the Asia Society
Asia Society
The Asia Society is a non-profit organization that focuses on educating the world about Asia. It has several centers in the United States and around the world Hong Kong, Manila, Mumbai, Seoul, Shanghai, and Melbourne...
as well as a board member of Northern California Grantmakers and the California Council for the Humanities.
In 2009, Jealous received the John Jay Award
John Jay Award
The John Jay Award is presented annually by Columbia College of Columbia University to its alumni for distinguished professional achievement. It is named for Founding Father of the United States John Jay, Columbia College Class of 1764. Previous recipients include many well-known professionals in a...
for distinguished professional achievement from Columbia College.
He was also recently announced as the Class Day speaker at his alma mater, Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
.
Election controversy
Jealous was elected by the NAACP National Board of Directors in a 34-21 vote. CNNCNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
reported that "no one clapped or celebrated," according to one board member after the meeting. According to CNN, Jealous was the only finalist presented by the search committee to the full board for consideration despite there being other qualified candidates. Although some board members wanted to examine two others whom the search committee identified as finalists, Jealous's supporters, including Chairman Julian Bond
Julian Bond
Horace Julian Bond , known as Julian Bond, is an American social activist and leader in the American civil rights movement, politician, professor, and writer. While a student at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, during the early 1960s, he helped found the Student Nonviolent Coordinating...
, prevented their presentation to the board.
External links
- NAACP Biography
- TheLoop21.com interview with NAACP President Ben Jealous
- Is The NAACP's Relevance Fading? We Think Not. by Benjamin Jealous and Julian Bond for The New Republic.