Ben Jealous Ousted as Sierra Club’s First Black Executive Director Amid Allegations of Racism and Wrongful Termination
The Sierra Club has dismissed Ben Jealous, its first Black executive director, sparking widespread criticism and claims of racism. The board voted unanimously on August 11 to terminate Jealous “with cause” after placing him on leave in July.
Board Chair Patrick Murphy announced the decision in an email to staff, but provided no clear details on what led to his dismissal. The move follows public disputes between Jealous and some staff members across local chapters.
Jealous, who was appointed in 2023, is now preparing to legally challenge the firing. “It is disheartening, unfortunate, but perhaps not surprising that the board has chosen an adversarial course that the facts so clearly cannot support. I have begun the process under my contract to fight this decision. I am confident that we will prevail,” he said.
Ben Jealous, 52, is widely respected for his career in civil rights and activism. He served as president of the NAACP from 2008 to 2013 and later led People for the American Way from 2020 to 2022. In 2018, he ran for Maryland governor.
He also has deep ties to environmental justice, beginning his activism as a forest protection advocate in high school. Under his Sierra Club leadership, membership expanded in red states that previously had little to no presence. His supporters highlight this as proof of his effective vision.
Despite this, Jealous faced internal pushback. Some union groups and staff criticized budget cuts, layoffs, and structural changes he implemented during his tenure.
Several former board members and longtime allies argue that Jealous’s removal reflects deeper racial issues within the Sierra Club. Aaron Mair and Chad Hanson, both former board members, called the decision “wrongful and discriminatory.”
“Where past white executive directors followed particular procedures and practices that were treated as sound, acceptable, and wise, Ben has been severely criticized for following the very same fiscally prudent and professional practices,” their statement read.
They also pointed to a disputed “Phantom Staff Letter,” said to be signed by 117 employees, but without verifiable names. They argue Jealous was unfairly targeted as a “fall guy” for problems that existed before his tenure.
The Progressive Workers Union (PWU), which claims to represent around 380 Sierra Club employees, has rejected accusations of racism in Jealous’s firing. The PWU BIPOC Caucus argued that concerns about his leadership were based on decisions, not identity.
“BIPOC staff and allies alike have been voicing our concerns about Mr. Jealous’s leadership and actions, not because of his identity, but because of the impacts of his choices. We believe the former Board Members making these accusations are weaponizing racial justice in an attempt to silence those raising concerns,” their statement read.
The caucus also alleged that nearly half of the staff layoffs under Jealousinvolved BIPOC employees, further deepening divisions within the organization.
The controversy has drawn sharp responses from both inside and outside the Sierra Club. Civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton and the National Action Network have called for independent mediation, citing “serious racial implications in firing a Black man of Ben’s caliber, in this fashion, at a time when diversity is under attack.”
Other Sierra Club veterans also expressed disappointment. Virginia Sanders, who has worked with the club since the 1980s, said she saw “firsthand how racism affected both Jealous and others.” She recalled instances where Jealous’s appointment was not publicized in South Carolina and events where he was deliberately excluded.
Dr. Angelle Bradford Rosenberg, chair of the Delta Chapter, criticized the lack of transparency. “Honestly, this process has been cloaked in such silence and lack of transparency and communication and empty platitudes. Patrick’s announcement email appears to reflect very little understanding of the gravity, impact, grief, and humiliation tied up in the vastness of this decision to fire the Club’s first Black ED. This is tragic. Not a ‘moment of renewal,’’’ she said.
Jealous has hired legal counsel and is preparing to contest his dismissal under contract provisions. His allies believe the outcome could reshape how nonprofit boards handle internal disputes, particularly when racial dynamics are involved.
For now, the Sierra Club faces afractured image. Once seen as a symbol of progressive environmentalism, the organization is now caught in a public fight over race, leadership, and accountability.
As the case unfolds, many will be watching whether Jealous’s firing represents a clash of management styles or a deeper problem with racial equity in one of America’s oldest environmental groups.
