By Gary Barlow

Staff writer

A group’s effort to take ownership over Windy City Black Pride has led to legal action by WCBP founder and president Charles Nelson aimed at his retaining leadership of the event.

“It’s just four people trying to stage a coup,” Nelson said. “Some people just unfortunately have their own agendas.”

The renegade faction, led by WCBP treasurer Keith McCoy, somehow convinced a clerk in the Illinois Secretary of State’s office to remove Nelson’s name from WCBP’s incorporation papers, an action Nelson contends was done in error. He said a lawyer is in the process of clearing up that matter.

But armed with the revised incorporation papers, McCoy’s faction then attempted to take over WCBP’s bank accounts. Bank officials, however, alerted Nelson, who took steps to secure the funds. McCoy’s group also tried unsuccessfully to get control of City and State grants for WCBP, Nelson said, but were rebuffed.

“The City said, ‘We’re not going to deal with you. We don’t know who you are. We know who Charles Nelson is,’” Nelson said.

McCoy’s group called a public meeting Nov. 17 at the Anderson Park Fieldhouse in Bronzeville, ostensibly to discuss plans for the organization. But the majority of the crowd appeared to support Nelson, attendees said, and wanted to know why McCoy’s faction was trying to go forward without Nelson.

Nelson said he said little at the meeting, on the advice of his attorney, but did agree to attendees’ suggestion that the McCoy group meet with him to try to resolve the situation. Nelson said while McCoy and his backers were reluctant to agree to such a meeting at the Nov. 17 event, they called him the following day and agreed to sit down and talk. That meeting, Nelson said, is slated to take place in December.

Earl Fowlkes, the president of the International Federation of Black Prides, said Nov. 17 that IFBP is solidly behind Nelson in the dispute.

“My perspective is that it’s unfortunately a few people who did not like Charles’ leadership and chose, in essence, to act out,” Fowlkes said.

Fowlkes said IFBP would continue to certify Nelson as the head of Chicago’s legitimate Black Pride.

“There can’t be more than one Pride in a city,” Fowlkes said. “Charles has tried to work with them and I’ve tried to speak with them. …Pride is going to take place. Charles has the support of the City and the federation. …Charles is probably one of the most honest people I know.”