The chairwoman of the United Way of Greater Cincinnati resigned Friday morning, capping a week in which the city's racial tensions focused on the venerable, 103-year-old institution.

Julia Poston, a managing partner of the Cincinnati office of Ernst & Young, had served on the board since 2008 and was elected chair last year. She offered her resignation during a board meeting at the organization's Walnut Hills headquarters.

Shortly after she had stepped down, more than a dozen activists and influential leaders from the Cincinnati's black community – led by the Rev. Damon Lynch III of New Prospect Baptist Church – entered the private board meeting seeking Poston's dismissal. The meeting was quickly adjourned.

Black community leaders said they were hurt and upset about the treatment of Michael Johnson, the United Way's first African-American president and CEO. His resignation was announced Wednesday evening – less than four months after he had started there July 9.

Vice chair Tim Elsbrock, a Fifth Third Bank executive, will serve as acting chair until a new chair is selected.

Lynch, Iris Roley and other demonstrators planned to read a letter aloud from a group of United Way employees who'd asked the activists to rally on their behalf.

More:United Way CEO Johnson returning to old job as CEO of Wisconsin Boys & Girls Club

More:Black Cincinnati leaders to United Way: Remove board chair Poston, `give us a voice'

A group of 28 employees, most of them African-American but some white, demanded Poston's removal in their letter and said they would welcome the resignation of all 13 members of the organization's executive committee. They took exception to language in the United Way's press release Wednesday that announced Johnson's resignation.

More: Letter written, circulated by some United Way employees

More: https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2018/11/03/text-julia-postons-resignation-letter-united-way-board/1871858002/

In it, the United Way wrote that it supported Poston and her leadership as board chair.

"Our team has come to recognize that we must all speak up and not be silent," employees wrote in their letter. "For United Way and its employees to help create the community free from racism, discrimination and implicit bias, we must create an organization that is intolerant of these actions. …

"Michael was an inspiration to many of us. He challenged the status quo and emboldened our team to do the same. We mourn his loss."

Twenty-one United Way employees, most of them African-Americans and a few whites, greeted board members when they arrived Friday for the 8 a.m. meeting. They urged board members to remove Poston, begin internal diversity and implicit bias training, restructure the board to reflect the diversity of the communities the organization serves, and re-open board meetings to employees.

Their concerns appeared to be heard, at least in part.

"We had a lot of reinforcement from board members that United Way needs to be an active participant in this issue," said Carolyn Pione Micheli, a member of the executive committee from the E.W. Scripps Co.

Johnson is returning to his old job in Madison, Wisconsin. The Dane County Boys & Girls Club announced Thursday that he will resume his duties as president and CEO effective Dec. 15. The United Way said Johnson would stay on until Nov. 15, the day after its annual fall campaign will end.

On Friday morning, the United Way attached a personal letter from Poston to its release announcing her resignation.

In it, she wrote, "As dedicated as I am to my service as UWGC Board Chair, it is clear to me that we can't be distracted by this unproductive debate that feels singularly focused on my role. No matter the 'fairness' of the debate; we must focus on moving forward constructively."

In her letter, Poston wrote that she oversaw the national search that led to Johnson's hiring and that she "was more excited than ever for our future and where Michael could lead us." She also wanted to "underscore" her deep belief in diverse experiences.

Poston told The Enquirer on Friday that she is unable to speak more candidly and openly due to terms of the settlement agreement with Johnson.

Johnson said in emails obtained by The Enquirer on Monday that he was being discriminated against and had been labeled "angry man" by Poston.

The Enquirer has filed an open records request with the United Way seeking terms of the settlement agreement. Beyond what it receives as donations in its campaigns, the local United Way manages and spends some taxpayer money. In Johnson's email, he said that he was misled by the financial challenges facing the United Way and how it is likely to face staff reductions.

United Way interim CEO Ross Meyer, who met Tuesday morning with activists, also met with them Friday morning after the board meeting adjourned. Meyer has positive relationships with many people and social service providers in the black community.

"We want to get this right," he told leaders from the community. "If we get this right here, it can have an impact on the larger community. I look forward to making this a moment of healing and learning for the community, and I need your help to do that."

The next meeting involving United Way and black community leadership is expected to be Wednesday.

As for Friday, Roley said, referring to Poston, "Her resignation is an important first step."