NAACP activist Rachel Dolezal under investigation by city over ethics breaches

SHE’S been an activist for black civil rights for years but this woman’s family say she has been faking it all along and they have the birth certificate to prove it.

rachel dolezal

A PROFESSOR of Africana studies and high-profile activist for the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP) is under investigation amid speculation she faked her ethnicity.

Rachel Dolezal, 37, is the President of the Spokane chapter of the NAACP and works as a professor at Eastern Washington University. She is also Police Commissioner for the Office of the Police Ombudsman, charged with overseeing fairness and equity in law enforcement in Spokane.

However that position is now in doubt after her mother Ruthanne, said Rachel is not black but has Czech, Swedish and German roots with a touch of Native American heritage.

Ruthanne told The Spokesman-Review her daughter had begun to “disguise herself” around 2006 and “it’s very sad that Rachel has not been herself”.

“It is very disturbing that she has become so dishonest,” she said. Her parents also told a CNN affiliate station her birth certificate shows she was born to two Caucasian parents.

Ms Dolezal could not be reached and is yet to comment on the issue. However she has previously identified herself in applications for the city position as white, black and Native American, according to The Spokesman-Review. Her university biography also sites that her passion for civil rights comes from her years spent in Mississippi and she has suffered hate crimes from white supremacists for her efforts.

Spokane Mayor David Condon and City Council President Ben Stuckart said they take the concerns raised very seriously.

“We are gathering facts to determine if any city policies related to volunteer boards and commissions have been violated. That information will be reviewed by the City Council, which has oversight of city boards and commissions,” they said in a joint release.

Earlier the Professor had spoken with an interviewer from KXLY TV about hate crimes and her passion for social justice, but walked away when asked if her real father was African American saying, “I don’t understand the question.”

The investigation will focus on whether Ms Dolezal breached the city’s ethics policy in her application for the role, which requires any information submitted to be true.

The controversy erupted after an anonymous call from a person who claimed to be on the board of the NAACP to local media. It has since gained traction online with photographs of Ms Dolezal shared by Twitter users.

This is Crazy Deep!! To pretend for 37 years that you're Black. #RachelDolezal #DilutedPeople pic.twitter.com/wmIGXQtAvT

— Ndumiso Lindi (@roosta27) June 12, 2015

I honestly don't blame #RachelDolezal, I thought I was black when I was a teenager too but I kind of grew out of it.

— Abu Al Baik (@M_Ullah) June 12, 2015

This activist has been accused of falsely claiming she is black http://t.co/7CDubQpEQi #RachelDolezal pic.twitter.com/h6yY3cKIrZ

— i100 (@thei100) June 12, 2015

Feeling incredibly sorry for #RachelDolezal and hope she's okay. The world knows very little about her, her motives.

— jonronson (@jonronson) June 12, 2015

BREAKING: Robert Downey Jr. to play #RachelDolezal in the upcoming Lifetime movie. pic.twitter.com/uuezrj0Rxq

— Franklin Leonard (@franklinleonard) June 12, 2015

The NAACP has released a statement saying Ms Dolezal is embroiled in a legal issue with her family and they are respecting her privacy and stand behind her advocacy record.

“One’s racial identity is not a qualifying criteria or disqualifying standard for NAACP leadership....In every corner of this country, the NAACP remains committed to securing political, educational, and economic justice for all people, and we encourage Americans of all stripes to become members and serve as leaders in our organization.”