Former news exec, 35, is picked to lead NAACP

What Jealous lacks in oratorical appeal, he makes up for as an administrator -skills he honed during his tenure with the Publishers Association, said the Rev. Joseph Lowery. And his foundation experience could help with fundraising -especially as the NAACP looks to raise $100 million in conjunction with its 100th anniversary in February.

"Ben would be a good administrator and a thorough and detailed kind of executive," Lowery said. "He would meticulously follow through on details."

Lowery said Jealous' Publishers Association experience also gave him an edge with national black leadership and maturity -not that Lowery thinks his age is an issue.

"That's not young," Lowery said when told Jealous was 35, pointing out that the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was 26 when he led the Montgomery bus boycott. "I wouldn't say he's too young. He's an emotionally and intellectually mature fellow."

Jealous said having the energy of a 35-year-old will be an asset to the organization.

"It means having somebody who is impatient and outraged that race is still a factor in our society," he said.

He added that he can attract 25- to 50-year-olds -the missing demographic among most chapters -back to the organization. And he said he is eager to work with other groups to push his agenda.

"This is the century when white people will become a minority in this country," he said. "What that means is right now, we need to have a clear picture of where we're headed and work together diligently with Latinos, Native Americans, Asians and progessive white groups as if our collective future depends on it. I'm committed to that."

It's a tall order that isn't likely to happen overnight, but Jealous -whose resume doesn't reflect a record of longevity -said he's ready to settle in for the long haul. He has spent much of his life in California but has roots in Baltimore, where the NAACP is based. His mother was born in Baltimore, and his parents met while teaching at a junior high school in the city.

"As a black child growing up in this country, there was no higher ambition possible than to lead the NAACP," he said. "No one should be concerned about me going anywhere too soon."