Wow, Hampton University crowns it's first Non-Black University Queen!What a milestone for them! Or is it?
22-year-old nursing senior Nikole Churchill reports that since winning the coveted title, she has been met with prejudice opposition, gossip, and doubts by her fellow Hamptonians on her ability to represent the historically black institution.
In response to the mixed responses she received, she decided to write an open letter to President Obama. Yep, the PRES...inviting him to speak at her university on racial tolerance.
That only fanned the flame. Outrage from Hampton University staff and students prompted Miss Churchill to issue an apology because she did not have permission from the pageant nor university to speak publicly on the controversy. Many believe that her public letter has caused more negative press about Hampton University. Hopefully, the controversy will settle down and Miss Churchill can have a peaceful and productive reign as Miss Hampton University 2009-2010. She is representing her university at the Miss Virginia Pageant, which is a prelim in the Miss America Scholarship Pageant System.
MY PERSPECTIVE: As a Miss America System Alum, I too represented the minority of my hometown being only the second Black woman crowned in the 80+ history of my city's pageant. Mind you, this was a southern city with only a little over 30% being African-American, and the majority of the city's population was, and still is, Caucasian. So was I unable to represent my hometown because I didn't fit into mold of the majority of women there? Was I incapable of being a spokeswoman for the causes I believed because historically, my city was established and heavily industrialized by Whites? Was my talent somehow discredited? My beauty somehow inadequate? My intellect irrelevant? A resounding NO. No, no, no.
So congrats Ms. Churchill. My hats off to you. You show exactly how far even HBCUs have come in being respected instutitions of higher-learning for Americans of ALL ethnicities. How incredible to see that Americans of varying racial backgrounds choose HBCUs as their place of career development and educational enhancement. It is a true mark of diversity, and the excellence of African-Americans contribution to the betterment of our country.
For more info on this story:
The Daily Press Article: http://www.dailypress.com/wtkr-miss-hampton,0,6521092.story
Miss Virginia: http://www.missva.com/
Miss America: www.missamerica.org
Hamptonm University: http://www.hamptonu.edu/
-CB
