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    After controversy, the National Book Critics Circle has announced its new board members.

    Aaron Robertson
    By 
    July 15, 2020, 4:00pm

    One month after controversy over an anti-racism pledge led most board members of the National Book Critics Circle to resign, the organization has announced its newest slate of board members.

    In June, a working committee led by Hope Wabuke drafted a pledge in response to the nationwide protests following George Floyd’s death. After board member Carlin Romano criticized the pledge, some of his colleagues attempted to remove him from the board. Romano threatened to sue in retaliation.

    Five of the fifteen “new” board members are returning after their earlier resignation. The fifteen members, which include a mix of poets, novelists, essayists, and academics, are:

    Diego Baez
    Stephanie Burt
    Rod Davis
    Charles Finch
    Rigoberto Gonzalez
    Megan Labrise
    Chelsea Leu
    Tara Wanda Merrigan
    Ismail Muhammad
    Ben Olguín
    J. Howard Rosier
    Elizabeth Taylor
    David Varno
    Oscar Villalon
    Harriet Washington

    At the time of the NBCC’s announcement, more than 30 of the organization’s members were continuing to explore ways to legally remove Romano from the board.

    anti-racism Carlin Romano Hope Wabuke National Book Critics Circle race

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