Rose Martin, former executive director of the Bessie Smith Cultural Center.The director of the Bessie Smith Cultural Center, who was in charge of the Bessie Smith Strut when tens of thousands of dollars in uncounted cash from the event was stolen, is out, officials confirmed Wednesday evening.
Board Chairman Jeffrey Wilson said Executive Director Rose Martin is no longer at the center and the former chairman of the board, Irvin Overton, has taken her place.
But Wilson wouldn’t say if Martin left on her own or if the board removed her. He declined to answer any questions about the board’s decision, saying he didn’t like the Times Free Press’ “coverage of the center.”
“I’m not going to comment on all that,” he said.
Overton, who was chairman of the center’s board for years, couldn’t be reached for comment late Wednesday.