CHARLOTTE, N.C.,None — The board of directors of Charlotte's NAACP chapter voted unanimously Tuesday night to proceed with a letter-writing campaign to urge three major sports organizations not to bring events to Charlotte.
The vote comes one day after the chapter's president, Kojo Nantambu, led a march protesting Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools' decision to hold classes Monday on the holiday that honors Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
CMS designated the MLK holiday as a possible make-up day on the 2010-2011 school calendar which was adopted two years ago, and activated that plan after last week's winter storm shut down schools for three days.
Nantambu told almost 100 protesters Monday morning outside the Government Center in uptown Charlotte that the city is "a racist bastion" and he urged them to write letters to the CIAA, NCAA and the PGA urging the organizations not to come to Charlotte.
Mayor Pro Tem Patrick Cannon and other local leaders said Tuesday evening before the NAACP vote that Nantammbu's claim of racism will not endanger Charlotte's bid to host the 2012 Democratic National Convention.
Cannon, a black Democrat, said he doesn't think Nantambu's statement will scare off any events.
"You can look at me, for instance, and know that I got elected citywide not just by African Americans but, obviously, by those that are of other descent," said Cannon.
Another city council member told Eyewitness News privately that Nantambu's fight doesn't have any legs, and that Democrats at the national level are more interested in choosing a convention site that will help re-elect President Barack Obama than they are in Charlotte's dispute.
The CIAA and NCAA have scheduled basketball tournament games in February and March at Time Warner Cable Arena in uptown Charlotte, and the PGA Wells Fargo Championship is scheduled for May at Quail Hollow Club.
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