What’s going on with suspension of East St. Louis NAACP president Stanley Franklin?

The executive committee of the East St. Louis chapter of the NAACP has accepted the resignation of its long-time president.

Stanley Franklin, who has led the local chapter for more than a decade, has been suspended from his role since Dec. 1.

NAACP Illinois state president Teresa Haley announced the suspension during a press conference held at the federal courthouse in East St. Louis on Dec. 6.

“The decision was made by the national office,” she said.

No other details have been provided. Franklin has declined to comment.

Haley said the National Executive Board of the NAACP met with the local executive committee last Friday to inform members of Franklin’s suspension. Any new information about the suspension will come from the national office in Baltimore, she said.

As of late last week, “the suspension is still in effect until further notice,” Haley said. The local NAACP has since confirmed that Franklin’s resignation is final.

Attempts to reach the national office for comment were unsuccessful.

Andrew Bailey, Franklin’s vice president of the local office, is now its interim leader.

“We are not missing a beat,” Haley said. “We are continuing to take care of NAACP business.”

Haley cited the first chapter’s first COVID -19 vaccine clinic which was hosted jointly with the NAACP Illinois State Conference, O’Fallon Branch of the NAACP, the East St. Louis Pan Hellenic committee, and Cahokia Heights School District 187.

This story was originally published December 20, 2021 at 5:00 AM.