TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Several hundred people marched Wednesday at the University of Alabama to oppose racial segregation among the school’s Greek-letter social organizations.
The marchers headed from the university library to the administration building, where the president’s office is located. The group was gathered on the steps of the administration building, standing behind a large banner that said “Last stand in the schoolhouse door.”
Faculty Senate President Steve Miller had announced the demonstration at a Faculty Senate meeting, where professors spoke out against long-standing racial segregation in fraternities and sororities.
School President Judy Bonner issued a video statement acknowledging the system is segregated by race. She is requiring that sororities belonging to a campus association composed of White sororities begin using a new recruitment process aimed at diversifying the groups.
The allegations that some groups had denied entry to Black students were first detailed by the student newspaper, The Crimson White.
“While we will not tell any group who they must pledge, the University of Alabama will not tolerate discrimination of any kind,” said Bonner, who became the university’s first female president less than a year ago.
On Wednesday, the crowd included both students who were members of Greek organizations and those who were not.
