Billy Graham group sued over race

The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association says it never discriminated against a black employee and argues in court papers that the lawsuit she has filed should be dismissed because of “church autonomy,” The Associated Press reports.

Click here to read the motion to dismiss.

Attorneys for the association argued Wednesday that the lawsuit filed by former employee Kimberly McCallum fails to contend that the job she lost remained open or was given to another person.

McCallum said in her lawsuit she was fired in 2007 after complaining to her superiors that the organization was not reaching out enough to black churches.

Click here to read McCallum's lawsuit.

A spokesman for the organization has said the association does extensive outreach and works extensively with African-American and other diverse churches.

McCallum said in the lawsuit that she was the only black employee working in the executive offices in Charlotte when she started in February 2007.

She complained to her superiors later that year when she was asked to recruit congregations to a camp program but found that a list of 635 prospective churches had only three memberships that were primarily black. McCallum said it was apparent that black churches were excluded.

- Associated Press