NAACP: Leader of Spokane, Washington, chapter resigns amid furor over racial identity

SPOKANE, Wash. – The president of the NAACP’s Spokane, Washington, chapter has resigned as furor mounted over her racial identity, after her parents said she has falsely portrayed herself as black for years even though she is actually white.

The announcement that Rachel Dolezal was stepping down was posted Monday on the civil rights group’s Facebook page.

Dolezal has been a longtime figure in Spokane’s human-rights community and teaches African studies to college students.

The city of Spokane is investigating whether she lied about her ethnicity when she applied to be on the police board.

Her mother, Ruthanne Dolezal, said the family’s ancestry is Czech, Swedish and German, with a trace of Native American heritage.

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