The head of Philadelphia’s NAACP branch has been called on to resign after sharing an anti-Semitic meme on social media.
A July 24 post on Facebook by Rodney Muhammad, president of the Philadelphia branch, boasted a Jewish caricature and quote that seemingly supported anti-Semitic statements by others.
Among several elected leaders and activists calling for Muhammad’s ouster are Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf and Attorney General Josh Shapiro.
The NAACP released a statement Friday acknowledging Muhammad’s post was offensive and that the organization denounces all forms of hatred.
Muhammad, a minister with the Nation of Islam, has since deleted the post, issued a statement explaining he wanted “to start a dialogue around criticism and understanding.”
“I later learned that not only was the quote I used misattributed to the philosopher Francois Voltaire, but in fact, the quote and image had been used previously by white supremacists,” Muhammad said. “It was never my intention to offend anyone or cause any hurt.”