The National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education has fired its president, Frederick S. Humphries, in a shakeup led by the organization's board chairman, William R. Harvey. The change comes during a period of pivotal lobbying for federal funds for historically black colleges.

The association, which represents 118 historically black colleges and universities, issued a news release late Friday saying that its Board of Directors had unanimously voted on April 24 to "move in a new direction relative to staff leadership." Mr. Humphries, who was president of Florida A&M University from 1984 to 2001, had been the association's president since 2002.

A lawyer for the association, Lezli Baskerville, was appointed interim president. Ms. Baskerville is a former vice president for government relations at the College Board. She did not return telephone calls seeking comment on Monday.

Mr. Harvey, who is president of Hampton University, said the association's board also planned to review its bylaws. "We want to make certain that Nafeo has the right people with the right skills and the right information," the chairman said in a written statement.

Alvin O. Chambliss Jr., a lawyer representing black plaintiffs in a college-desegregation lawsuit in Mississippi, said that some presidents of member institutions in the association believed that Mr. Humphries was becoming too powerful. He was pursuing an ambitious strategy for the association during a crucial time, as Congress prepares legislation to renew the Higher Education Act.

Mr. Humphries declined to comment on Monday. Mr. Harvey could not be reached for further comment.