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May 18, 2008 5:16 pm US/Central
Pastor Says He Wouldn't Give Up Post To Head NAACP
DALLAS (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
He was thought to be the lone finalist for the job as national president of the NAACP. But on Friday, Dallas pastor Frederick Haynes learned that he had been overlooked for the position.
Dr. Frederick Haynes has served as senior pastor at Friendship-West Baptist Church for 25 years. He said the fact that he was unwilling to leave his post was a deal breaker.
Dr. Haynes was in Baltimore last week for an interview with the executive committee of the NAACP.
He said the first question he was asked was whether he was willing to leave Friendship-West as soon as he became president.
He said he told the committee that he could and would do both, but that apparently didn't sit well with some members.
In fact, he said it became a point of contention during the interview and that it finally became clear they had reached an impasse.
He also said he told the search committee in February that he would not leave the church and after that was told he was a finalist.
"I was told after March that I was not only the lead finalist, but the only finalist," said Dr. Haynes. "Something happened between then and perhaps the May meeting."
The man who did get the job is 35-year-old Benjamin Jealous. He will be the youngest NAACP president in its 99-year history.
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