Did Terrebonne NAACP chapter go too far?

Houma-Terrebonne Housing Authority Manager Troy Johnson will face current Terrebonne Parish NAACP President Jerome Boykin this October for the presidency of the Terrebonne Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

Johnson, 45, of Chauvin, announced his candidacy Friday outside the Houma Courthouse. In addition to his Housing Authority job, Johnson is a writer and a former NFL wide receiver for the St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Steelers and the San Diego Chargers.

“I’m a candidate for change,” he said. “I want to get this word out to solidify my candidacy, and to take this organization in a different direction.”

Houma attorney Kevin Thompson, who was among the small audience, expressed his support. “I think this is a positive step for the NAACP; it’s time for a change.”

“Those who have been directing this organization have moved away from its philosophy,” Thompson said. “Sometimes you get so entrenched in what you are doing … it’s time for new leadership.”

Johnson will take on incumbent Boykin, under whose efforts the local organization has distributed more than $200,000 in college scholarships to Terrebonne Parish high school graduates. Boykin has served as president since 1996.

“I’m running for a variety of reasons,” Johnson said. “It’s not like one morning I woke up and had this epiphany to become president.”

“I see the NAACP heading in a direction I don’t think it’s for all the people. I think it’s for a small monolith of people,” Johnson said.

Upon learning of Johnson’s candidacy, Boykin said Friday, “It’s great to see an opponent after running unopposed all of these years.

“However, while Mr. Johnson will be campaigning, I’ll be planning my victory party,” he said.

Johnson said he wants to return the Terrebonne chapter to its original mission, stemming from the Niagara Movement of 1905. That was when a group, under the direction of Civil Rights pioneer W.E.B. DuBois, opposed racial segregation and disenfranchisement.

Racial issues, he said, are at the forefront today, noting the discussions spawned by Democratic frontrunner Sen. Barack Obama.

“It is very difficult for white people to understand what it is to be black. In the same vein, it is very difficult for black people to understand what it is to be white,” Johnson said. “But there are very few differences, very few things that distinguish each of our races. We all want safe neighborhoods, safe homes and a good education for our kids. That’s the message I want to get out.”

What Johnson does take issue with, however, is leaders who “want to be in the spotlight, to be on television.”

“Those are the people who divide us,” Johnson said, alluding to Boykin’s actions in the days following news of comments made by state Rep. Carla Dartez. “There have been a lot of decisions made within the last year or two by this NAACP that have been negative for the black community and for the community as a whole. Yes, I’m talking about the incident with Dartez.”

Specifically, he charged Boykin misused his position to influence black voters shortly before the District 51 House race last November.

Incensed by a sign-off allegedly used during a telephone conversation between then-state Rep. Dartez and Boykin’s mother, the Terrebonne chapter president received a great deal of press. Dartez, who reportedly ended the phone call with the word “Buckwheat,” was handily defeated by current state Rep. Joe Harrison.

Dartez quickly apologized for using the phrase, saying she believed it was a term of endearment, which she had seen in the 1980s during “Saturday Night Live” skits featuring comedian Eddie Murphy.

Boykin stopped short of endorsing Harrison in print or during press conferences; however, his comments and likeness were included on a campaign postcard blasting Dartez that Harrison mailed to black voters.

“First of all, I’m not going to get involved in any political election – it’s against the NAACP Charter because we’re a 501c4 company,” Johnson said. “My opponent has endorsed one candidate after another, and I believe that could have placed this organization’s 501c status in jeopardy.”

Johnson said Boykin’s comments derailed Dartez’s campaign.

“I will not take a stance, as my opponent did, of throwing an elected official that’s done so much for the black community and the community as a whole, and throw him or her under a bus because of an incident that could have been handled behind closed doors.”

He asserted the situation should have been privately handled by Boykin, his mother and Dartez, eliminating the appearance of NAACP involvement.

“This lady [Dartez] was very valuable to the black community and to the community as a whole, but she was thrown under a bus,” he said. “The comment was blown way out of proportion.”

“Should we get rid of a lady who voted 95 percent with the black caucus? I don’t’ think so. And apparently, neither did the State Congressional Black Caucus because they did not come out against her,” Johnson said.

Former Terrebonne Parish Councilman Wayne Thibodeaux, a Johnson supporter and the candidate’s boss, shared Johnson’s view that Boykin mishandled Dartez’s reprimand.

Thibodeaux was among voters who received the Harrison postcard last November citing Dartez’s “Buckwheat” comments. He said “upon one glance, looked like an NAACP endorsement of Harrison.”

A bulleted item on the front, right-hand corner of the postcard reads, “NAACP Call to Action.”

On the opposite side, the NAACP’s logo is printed along with the headline, “Press Conference … Monday, Nov. 12, 2007, at NAACP Headquarters.”

“Basically,

“Basically, it rehashes the Nov. 12 press conference Boykin held blasting Dartez,” Thibodeaux said.

“However, it also reads ‘NAACP calls on African-American voters to withdraw their support for Carla Dartez’ and ‘the NAACP state and local leaders stand united against racial slurs made by Dartez’,” he said. “The final item in the right-hand corner includes Harrison’s name and his number on the ballot.”

Thibodeaux said the whole card “is an NAACP endorsement, and frankly, the NAACP cannot endorse a political candidate.”

Questioned about the political card, Boykin said, “Frankly, I was unaware of it. Harrison paid for it.”

Boykin said he too was concerned about the content of the card and mailed it to the NAACP headquarters in Maryland for feedback.

“They said since the press conference was open to the public, there was nothing anyone could do about people who chose to take the contents and advertise them,” Boykin said.

Boykin said he was also told that, “as president of the Terrebonne NAACP, I cannot endorse anyone, but as Jerome Boykin, a private citizen, I can do so.”

Johnson disagrees, arguing that voters perceived Boykin was acting in his presidential capacity.

“If you’re president of the NAACP, you’re the president. There is no difference,” he said. “When you say Bill Gates, you say Microsoft. There is no schism.

“Look, you cannot get involved in any political elections, and that’s the bottom line,” Johnson said. “Mr. Boykin has done a lot of good, but it’s time for a change to bring this area together.”

Houma-Terrebonne Parish Housing Authority Manager Troy Johnson announced Friday in front of the Houma Courthouse that he is running for president of the local NAACP chapter. * Photo by HOWARD J. CASTAY JR