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The former head of the NAACP’s Beverly Hills branch has written a letter blasting the national head for allowing Michael Jackson’s televised memorial service to be nominated for the organization’s Image Award as a variety show.

“Even though entertainers did perform, it was still a memorial service/funeral to honor this young man,” said former NAACP’s former Beverly Hills/Hollywood Chapter president Billie J. Green in a letter to national president Ben Jealous.

The letter continues:

The NAACP’s Image Awards were created to honor people who portrayed positive images of African-Americans in the entertainment industry. This show has always been a legitimate awards presentation. Unfortunately, this recent nomination of Michael Jackson’s memorial service/funeral has resulted in the ridicule of the Image Awards as a legitimate awards show. This nomination is an embarrassment to the past and present members of the NAACP and the African-American community as a whole.

As someone who has worked closely with the NAACP to create jobs and positive images in the entertainment industry, I am truly ashamed of this recent nomination. Please see below for some additional information that I have provided for your perusal.

Thank you for your time. I hope that you can do something to correct this situation.