Derrick Johnson, president and CEO, NAACP PHOTO COURTESY OF NAACP

By David L. Snelling

Miami – A dispute between the NAACP national organization and a Boulder, Colorado branch escalated into a lawsuit after the latter dissolved itself and refused to yield control of assets.

The lawsuit, which was filed on June 16 in the U.S. District Court in Washington D.C., accused the branch’s executive members of violating the civil rights organization’s bylaws including disbanding itself without the national office’s approval.

After repeated requests, the branch has yet to relinquish control of assets and former Boulder County members are accused of breaching their fiduciary duty after attempts to liquidate $77,000 in assets from a bank account, according to the lawsuit.

The members made an additional attempt to liquidate $25,000 of Google stock.

“For the past several months, Defendants have engaged in a campaign of misinformation and disparagement against the NAACP that has harmed the organization’s reputation and, on information and belief, financially,” the lawsuit states. “Upon dissolution, Defendants began ‘winding up’ the Branch, including disposing of the Branch’s assets and causing irreparable harm.”

The NAACP said it can’t comment on matters in litigation.

According to sources, the infighting within the NAACP stemmed from executive members of the Colorado branch violating the bylaws and received complaints from the city of Boulder over alleged unethical practices.

Executive members opposed the hiring of Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn in 2024 because of his involvement in the death of 23-year-old Black man Elijah McClain. Redfearn was a deputy police chief of the Aurora Police Department when the incident occurred.

In 2019, McClain, from Aurora, Colorado died from allegedly being injected with 500 mg of ketamine by paramedics after being detained by police officers after walking home from a convenience store.

He died of cardiac arrest.

Three police officers and two paramedics were charged with his death.

Both paramedics and one of the officers were convicted of negligent homicide, and the other two officers were acquitted of all charges.

Protests broke out throughout Colorado following McClain’s death, as the NAACP and social justice advocates called for justice against the first responders involved in the incident.

In Feb. 2021, an investigative report ordered by the Aurora City Council revealed that the police officers involved in McClain’s death did not have the legal basis to stop, restrain, or frisk him.

In an effort to ease tension, the City of Boulder met with the NAACP branch to ensure the police department engages in ethical practices and those who violate policies will be punished.

However, the city accused the Boulder branch of violating the “Mutual Respect and Dialogue Agreement” after they “secretly recorded” a mediated and “supposedly confidential” meeting between city officials and organization member

The national office of the NAACP reprimanded the chapter for its conduct and subsequently their relationship became strained.

Boulder executive members reportedly maligned the parent organization during meetings and through letters to other U.S. branches.

The branch allegedly sent disparaging letters to the national office which responded by threatening to suspend its operations until further notice.

Executive members dissolved the branch and kept the assets.

The dispute marks the second time this year the NAACP and a branch office were at odds.

In May, the national organization ordered the Columbus, Ohio branch to cease all operations amid turmoil and alleged misconduct by longtime president Nana Watson who was forced out in January 2025.

The national organization accused the Ohio branch of refusing to adhere to the constitution and bylaws for local branches.