Some Audubon Society board members quit in a disagreement with the board
Three board members of the John James Audubon Society, the nation’s largest bird-watching group, quit after the organization refused to change its name from Audubon who enslaved Black people and ransacked native burial sites.
Audubon supported his work by buying and selling eight enslaved Blacks. The Audubon Society was founded 50 years after Audubon’s death.
“The decision was made taking into consideration of many factors, including the complexity of John James Audubon’s legacy,” officials said.
Three board members, however, disagreed.
They are Sara Fuentes, Erin Giese, and Stephen Tan, who served s the vice chair.
Several affiliates of the group, including the Audubon societies in Maryland, Seattle, Portland, Washington D.C., and Madison, Wisconsin, have changed their names or plan to.