In Gloucester Twp., a Black History Month flap

She was the first black woman to hold elected office in Gloucester Township, the top vote-getter in the November 2007 election intended to fill four council seats.

So Democratic Councilwoman Crystal Evans said she was surprised when the job of coordinating the township's annual Black History Month event went to a Latino member of the council.

During a council meeting last week, Mayor Dave Mayer thanked Councilman Orlando Mercado for arranging the Feb. 22 event, which recognizes African Americans who have made contributions to the community.

Mercado had coordinated a similar Hispanic event in the fall, when plaques were awarded to Latino residents who made positive contributions in the Camden County township.

"I thought, because of my heritage, I would be given the opportunity to fill the [Black History Month] position," Evans said. "I thought it was only fair. I told the mayor, 'I feel you're not giving me a chance. I'm African American.' "

Evans, 45, took her grievance to the local and state NAACP and accused fellow Democrats of passing over her because of her support of GOP mayoral candidate Cindy Rau-Hatton and Republican Christopher J. Christie for governor in the last election.

But Mercado, who ran with Evans in 2007, said that no slight was intended and that he didn't hold an official position as coordinator of Black History Month.

He said he simply "put a process in place" that would for the first time allow members of the public to submit forms nominating local residents for honors at the event. In the past, council members made the nominations.

"This is not about me or Crystal Evans," said Mercado, vice president of the council. "It's about celebrating African Americans who made a difference in the community."

Mayor Mayer said today that Mercado had come to him last month with the idea of putting the nomination form on the township's Web site.

"I told him, 'That's a good idea,' and I still think it's a good idea," said Mayer, who was elected mayor in November and sworn in on Jan. 2. "I made an announcement at the council meeting about the nomination forms and thanked" Mercado.

"There was no slight at anyone," Mayer said. "We were just moving the process forward. We wanted it to be more inclusive and positive."

Your heritage "is something you take pride in," Evans said. "I know about the Jewish, Irish, and German cultures, and I know about my own culture. It would have been a nice gesture to make me the coordinator of the event."

Evans said her support for Republicans may have caused fellow Democrats to shun her. "But we've got to make some changes," she said of her decision. "We're tired of having our votes taken for granted.

"Maybe we shouldn't be voting just one way," Evans said. "You have a choice. You don't have to vote for the same people. You vote for the people who respect you."

The friction between Evans and township officials "appears to be a response to local political stuff in that township," said James Harris, president of the New Jersey NAACP. "One would expect to get some reaction to" the support of Republicans.

"The election is over, and there is a new administration," added Phillip S. Warner Sr., southern regional coordinator of the New Jersey NAACP. "I'm sure everyone can work together.

"This was probably a lack of communication and also may be a political matter," Warner said. "There is a valid perception, by Councilwoman Evans, that she was overlooked, but you want to resolve differences so you can go forward as a team."

For her part, Evans said she is "going to work with the administration as much as I can. All we can do is work together."