Black mayor: Racism drove me out

MOORESTOWN, N.J., Jan. 15 (UPI) -- A lifelong resident of a New Jersey town says he discovered its underside when he was elected its first black mayor two years ago and now he's resigning.

Charles Tyson, at a news conference Wednesday in his lawyer's office, explained why he decided to step down as South Harrison mayor. The 66-year-old retired computer technician said he had no problems in the rural small town as a private citizen, or in five years on the town committee, but he started getting threatening telephone calls as soon as he became mayor.

"I know that 95 percent of the people in South Harrison are the finest people you would ever want to meet," Tyson said. "But as long as I am the lightning rod for a hate group in town, it is better for me to back off."

In addition to threatening and racially offensive calls and e-mails, Tyson said he has had his tires slashed and a campaign sign defaced with the words "KKK." A school administrator reported him to police as a "suspicious black man" and a police officer shoved him, Tyson said.

When the town committee nominated him last week for another year as mayor, he turned it down. Instead, he will serve as deputy mayor.