Integration Of University Of Alabama

Judy Bonner, the University of Alabama's new president, when the schoolhouse'south championship football team visited the White House on April 19, 2012. Mike Theiler /UPI /Landov hibernate explanation

toggle explanation

Mike Theiler /UPI /Landov

Judy Bonner, the University of Alabama's new president, when the schoolhouse'south title football game squad visited the White Business firm on April 19, 2012.

Mike Theiler /UPI /Landov

Students at the Academy of Alabama and community leaders are reacting to allegations that white sororities denied access to blackness women considering of their race.

The educatee newspaper in Tuscaloosa, the Ruby White, ran a story that quotes sorority members who say they wanted to recruit at least two black candidates but the students' names were removed before members could vote on them.

One of the blackness women who sorority members say was pulled from consideration seemed the perfect recruit. She had a four.3 grade signal average. And she's from an influential family — the pace granddaughter of Alabama Judge John England who is a University Trustee.

"Race may take played a gene or may even been the reason why, though not necessarily from the young people merely from some alumni," says Guess England.

He says some alums may accept pressured current sorority members to pass up blackness students.

In a video statement posted Tuesday, Academy President Judy Bonner acknowledged sororities and fraternities remain segregated. She says chapter members admit while recruiting new candidates a few weeks ago, decisions were made based on race.

"While we will not tell whatsoever group who they must pledge, the Academy of Alabama will not tolerate discrimination of any kind," she says.

Bonner ordered sororities to use an open bidding procedure which allows them to add new members at whatever time.

Exterior the Ferguson Center, the student matrimony on campus, a fountain surges only only seems to add to the sticky September day. Students gather for an impromptu musical performance, and hang out between classes.

Erin Williams, a sophomore from Virginia Beach, Va., says, "What shocks me is that a academy, such as the University of Alabama, would, yous know, still have this issue going on."

Williams says the university, which once banned African Americans, has made progress. But as the establishment celebrates the l^th ceremony of its desegregation, she says it has failed to integrate the powerful Greek system which produces many of the state's political leaders.

"You've got people from the freshman form — they have students from over 77 countries or and so. I'm similar all these people coming here that love this school and we can't practise something every bit simple as integrate our Greek system. That just baffles me," Williams says.

About 35,000 students are enrolled at the University of Alabama which remains predominantly white. About 12 percent are African American. 1 fourth of the students are members of fraternities and sororities.

National Guard Brig. Gen. Henry Graham informs Alabama Gov. George Wallace that the guard was nether federal control as the two met at the door of Foster Auditorium at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa on June 11, 1963. Wallace, who had vowed to prevent integration of the campus, gave mode to federal troops. AP hide explanation

toggle explanation

National Guard Brig. Gen. Henry Graham informs Alabama Gov. George Wallace that the guard was under federal control as the two met at the door of Foster Auditorium at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa on June xi, 1963. Wallace, who had vowed to prevent integration of the campus, gave way to federal troops.

Taylor Coar, who's from Birmingham, says segregation in the Greek system has been an issue for years.

"There are some people who want to see a change but are too scared to make information technology, who won't step forwards and say what they think. But that's what we need. We need someone to step forwards and say, 'I don't similar the way this system is being run and I don't think that information technology's fair', Coar says."

Some at the university are bringing students together so they can talk to one some other.

"I can't become five steps without hearing some other student talk about how important this is to them," says Lane McLelland, director of the Crossroads Community Center on campus.

McLelland is teaching a new course on a process called sustained dialogue. Information technology'due south an effort to agree conversations about difficult issues, including race. The University of Alabama is among 25 college campuses that take started these groups.

"Our students are mettlesome," says Dr. Mark Nelson, vice president for student affairs. "They are very brilliant. They know they tin be ameliorate. They are prepare for change."

Some here say it is encouraging that the story was published. That includes Judge England, who says it's of import students are speaking out against intolerance.

"Nosotros know that in that location are some who notwithstanding alive in the 50s when segregation was the society of the day. We know there are some who all the same live there only I believe that we're moving abroad from that. Nosotros haven't moved there withal but we're moving away from it," England says.

University President Bonner says the nation is watching Alabama — only as information technology did in the 1960s when and then Governor George Wallace made his stand against integrating the academy. She says the students are ready to move forward and the academy will work to remove whatsoever barriers they perceive.