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NAACP leaders press Ranlo officials over 'superior race' comments; presiding official says phrase meant 'human race'
Summary
NAACP leaders called on Ranlo leaders for accountability after remarks described as referencing a 'superior race.' The presiding official disputed that characterization, saying he meant 'the human race.' The exchange drew multiple public speakers and calls for an apology.
Diana Graham, vice president of the NAACP's Gastonia branch, used the public-comment period to press Ranlo leaders to confront what she called "Maynard Black's remarks about a superior race," saying "the reality is racism, whether present, past, or future, remains unjust and unacceptable." Graham congratulated incoming Mayor Corey Creech but said the town "deserves better" than silence from leaders after statements she described as threatening to drag the community "back to a dark chapter in our history."
Graham framed the matter as one of principle and accountability, saying "words matter" and that silence in the face of such behavior "amounts to complicity and injustice." She urged the new mayor and board to pursue "courage, healing, respect, accountability, and progress grounded in truth and justice for all."
The presiding official who led the meeting responded directly during the same comment period, saying the phrase "superior race" in his earlier speech was intended to refer to the human race and not to single out any racial group. "I said in my speech, was the human race, the only race," he said, adding he did not mean to cause offense.
Sean Bates, president of the Gastonia NAACP, pressed for an apology and for continued oversight by community members, saying supporters would continue to "show up" and protect officials elected with their votes. Bates said the organization found it "very hard and disheartening" that no apology had been offered at the time of his remarks.
The exchange continued with several attendees disputing or defending the presiding official. Some speakers said the matter should be closed because an apology had been offered; others said further accountability and public discussion were warranted. The board did not take formal disciplinary action during the meeting.
The public-comment period where these remarks occurred also included other items on the agenda; the board proceeded afterward with adoption of minutes and a swearing-in ceremony for newly elected officials. The town did not announce any immediate follow-up steps or investigations during this meeting.
