CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - The CIAA isn't going anywhere. That's the word from the head of the tournament after Charlotte's NAACP called for major sporting events to boycott the city it calls a "bastion of racism".Leon Kerry, commissioner of the CIAA, is very happy with the tournament being held in the Queen City. Kerry posted a statement on their web site Wednesday night which reads, in part: "Charlotte is a great partner and host city for the CIAA Tournament. Charlotte's can do spirit and teamwork has contributed vastly to the growth and success the Tournament has experienced."
The hugely popular tournament is contracted to be in Charlotte until 2014. Kerry also said "since the tournament's move to Charlotte in 2006, the CIAA has generated over $9 million in scholarship dollars for graduating high school students to attend any CIAA school."
CIAA Comment Regarding NAACP Boycott of the City of Charlotte
From the Desk of CIAA Commissioner Leon G. Kerry
Regarding the Proposed NAACP Boycott of the City of Charlotte
January 19, 2011
“Charlotte is a great partner and host city for the CIAA Tournament,” say CIAA Commissioner, Leon Kerry. “Since the Tournament’s move to Charlotte in 2006, the CIAA has generated over $9 million in scholarship dollars for graduating high school students to attend any CIAA school. Through our Education Day event, Charlotte area high school and middle school students have direct access to college admissions counselors to discuss their educational pursuits. Also, in our 2010 CIAA Post-Tournament survey results, 94 percent of our fans recommend the ‘CIAA Charlotte Experience’, which measures the city’s safety, hospitality and friendliness. Charlotte’s can do spirit and teamwork has contributed vastly to the growth and success the Tournament has experienced and it’s evident when the CIAA Board of Directors voted unanimously on November 1, 2010 to renew the CIAA Tournament contract with Charlotte until 2014.”
Civil Rights Group Gains Support For Campaign Against Charlotte
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Charlotte chapter of the NAACP won the support Wednesday of the organization's state leaders for a letter-writing campaign urging major sports organizations not to hold their events in the city.
Kojo Nantambu, president of the Charlotte NAACP, first suggested the campaign Monday during a march to protest Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools' decision to hold classes on the holiday which honors Martin Luther King Jr. CMS approved the holiday two years ago as a possible snow make-up day, and the plan was activated after last week's winter storm shut down schools for three days.
Dr. William Barber, president of the North Carolina chapter of the NAACP, said Wednesday...
Local NAACP urges boycott of Charlotte
At a Martin Luther King Jr. Day protest over school policies, the head of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg NAACP Monday announced a campaign to urge the CIAA basketball tournament and other groups to boycott the city.
Pledging to "expose Charlotte for the racist bastion it is," NAACP President Kojo Nantambu announced a drive to keep the CIAA, NCAA, PGA "and any other 'A'" from coming to Charlotte. He also said his group would ask the national NAACP to consider asking the Democratic Party not to hold its 2012 convention in Charlotte.
His comments came just before he led about 100 people on a march through uptown to protest the decision by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools to hold classes on the King holiday to make up one of three days lost to snow last week.
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