Hampton’s new campus queen erases color line
The newly-crowned campus queen was upset that she drew some jeers from the crowd at a college football game, as well as some disparaging comments in the blogosphere, when she and her court were introduced on Oct. 10. So she wrote an open letter to President Obama and posted it online.
“I feel as though you could relate to my situation. I am hoping that perhaps you would be able to make an appearance to my campus, Hampton University, so that my fellow Hamptonians can stop focusing so much on the color of my skin. . .”
Oops. That’s when things got, ah, ugly. Nikole Churchill had inadvertently struck a match to the tinderbox of race, culture and traditional beauty standards, fueling a full-fledged row over her status as the first non-black homecoming queen at Hampton University, a storied historically black institution.
While some students admitted a preference for a black queen, others thought the student body should elect the homecoming court. (The pageant judges included two regulars from the professional pageant circuit, two faculty members and a local business executive.) Several students said they were upset by Churchill’s public letter, which they claimed misrepresented Hampton.
“. . .To issue a blanket statement like that? It just really put the university in a negative light,” student body president Matthew Washington told The Washington Post.
At 22, Churchill — who has a white mother and an Asian father — still has a couple of things to learn. One is this: She shouldn’t pay attention to the negative comments of a few, especially anonymous taunts in the blogosphere. Accomplishment always draws detractors.
Another is this: As a visible representative of a historically black college, she serves as yet another reminder of the dramatic cultural and social changes this country has undergone in a couple of generations. She’s too young to appreciate this, but her selection as Hampton’s homecoming queen would have been unimaginable 25 years ago.
Because mainstream American culture has traditionally shut black Americans out of so many of its prizes, small and large, black institutions have, in the past, jealously guarded their awards as honors set aside for black recipients. Churchill’s crown, then, is a symbol, not only of broad cultural change but also of the growing confidence many black institutions have about their place in a racially-diverse country.
(A quibble: While Churchill’s crown is a symbol of racial progress, it is also a reminder that certain hoary old gender stereotypes remain in place. Though Hampton’s contest is officially labelled a “scholarship” pageant, contestants still parade around in swim suits.)
Another venerable black institution, Atlanta’s Morehouse College, marked a similar milestone in 2008, when the college named graduating senior Joshua Packwood its first white valedictorian. He was happily accepted by students at all-male Morehouse — which may indicate that brainpower is a less controversial subject in our culture than beauty standards.
Both Hampton and Morehouse are among those historical black colleges that have had some success recruiting beyond their traditional student base . That’s a smart survival strategy; it’s also a message about their acceptance of cultural change.
With Hampton’s homecoming game scheduled for Saturday (Oct. 24), campus public relations officials report that the news media have exaggerated the reaction to Churchill and that students are preoccupied with the usual concerns — classes, tests and homecoming weekend festivities. For her part, Churchill, a nursing major who attends the satellite campus in Virginia Beach, has posted another online letter, this time apologizing for the plea to the president.
“I have now come to regret writing this letter and disappointing the very students that I now represent. I took the comments of a few and blew it out of proportion. In reality, all comments that have been directed towards me and the reception I received . . . were genuinely supportive,” she wrote.
The controversy, while undoubtedly uncomfortable for her, may prove as helpful as any of her college experiences. She is learning to navigate racially-charged territory without losing her head — or her crown.
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50 comments Add your comment
Spartann
October 21st, 2009
8:26 am
Ms Tucker…. From what Planet are you from…are you living in a bubble??? You of all people haven’t the credibility nor the moral high ground to offer direction to Ms Churchill. Talk about being thin skinned and paying attention to the “few”, Lady, since the dawn of time, you and your journalistic compadres have not followed your own advice … Your Op-Ed today doesn’t even rate an LOL ……
W.C. McCall
October 21st, 2009
8:58 am
This is part of what is wrong with “pundits” in America. A whole “article” spent talking about RACE, RACE, and more RACE all whiling complaining about RACE.
I couldn’t live with myself if all I did was write opinions that cause more harm than they do good.
Fortunately, I went to college and got a real job requiring the use of facts.
None of the professional people I’ve met have ever really cared about RACE.
Cynthia maybe you should find a better line of work!
lmno
October 21st, 2009
9:06 am
I have always listened to black intellectuals, like Mark Thompson, with an open mind when they explain that “black people cannot be racists”.
I think I understand their point. That because Black people have not enjoyed power, they cannot oppress. A minority cannot oppress a majority. I get what they are saying.
However, I disagreed on the premise of the actual definition of “racism”. Racism is a defined word and it is a belief. Anyone can have a belief.
If, however, we accept the changed definition that racism has to have power in order to be valid, then I would like to pose a question to these people.
If a local community (college campus, town, county, state) is majority black and black people hold the majority of authority positions, then can black people in those local communities be racist and oppressive?
I think that based on their own definitions, the answer is YES.
If a white person cannot be elected Mayor in Atlanta due to their skin, that is racism by anyone’s defintion.
someguy
October 21st, 2009
9:10 am
Those Hampton Univ. kids are racists.
Call it like it is.
October 21st, 2009
9:23 am
“”"Because mainstream American culture has traditionally shut black Americans out of so many of its prizes, small and large, black institutions have, in the past, jealously guarded their awards as honors set aside for black recipients.”"”
Are you kidding me? Oh my god Cindy, please join us in the 21st century. How long are you and black institutions going to hang on to the past? I mean are you telling me you can’t spend about 10 seconds and name 100’s of black individuals who have been recognize for what they have done for society. I am a good ole southern white boy and I can.
How about you dwell into this story a little bit more and tell us why this young lady felt like she had to send this letter out. Was she getting harrased?
You are completely bonded by your ignorance and your attitude of living in the past. Move on or get left behind.
jconservative
October 21st, 2009
9:26 am
Nice article. We really do need to have a debate/discussion on race in this country & this is a perspective that would be important to the discussion. But it is hard to have a discussion when a lot of people get bent out of shape when the subject is mentioned. In fact, we may be a generation away from being able to have a collegial discussion about race.
Maybe after about 2040 when all racial groups are minority groups our descendants (for me, descendants) will be able to have the discussion.
Or, since everyone will be a minority, the maybe discussion will not be necessary. But that may be overly optimistic.
“She shouldn’t pay attention to the negative comments of a few, especially anonymous taunts in the blogosphere. Accomplishment always draws detractors.”
True. The last 3 presidents would be/have been well served with this thought.
Peadawg
October 21st, 2009
9:34 am
Another article from Cynthia about race this and race that. Nothing to see here people, move along…move along.
Kevin
October 21st, 2009
9:42 am
I’ve been baffled by historically black groups’ insistence of holding on to their racist attitudes.
Are blacks too insecure to compete in the Miss America contest, thus the need for Ms. Black America? Can’t win in the music awards? Then create black music awards. The list goes on an on.
It sounds to me like you’re all for equality, unless equality infers that you have to stand on your own merits.
Oh, and to WC McCall– Cynthia look for another line of work?? Doing what? I don’t see an abundance of job postings in which the requirements include, “must be a bitter, racist name-caller who thinks they’re much smarter than they actually are.”
HDB
October 21st, 2009
9:42 am
@ W.C.McCall – 8:58 am:
“Fortunately, I went to college and got a real job requiring the use of facts. None of the professional people I’ve met have ever really cared about RACE.”
Please inform me as to what planet you’re from! I’m a college graduate..with 2 Masters…and you should see the looks I’ve gotten when I’ve interviewed for positions! Many employers can’t place my resume with my face! Not only has this happened in the South…but Chicago, Minneapolis….and the Midwest! In this country, RACE is the predominant element….and the South leads in that category! Look at the voting patterns in this state! Name me ONE minority candidate that has gotten statewide support? What candidate carried the South in the last Presidential election? (Note: he DIDN’T WIN!)
Davo
October 21st, 2009
9:53 am
Kevin,
It’s self-imposed collectivism. It’s easier to be part of a group than stand out as an individual. This is something that the blacks will probably never accept for it means they lose their united front of reverse racism against the establishment. It’s why the hispanics, asians and other ethnic groups have been so succesful in America; they’ve chosen to be citizens, not dependants.
Dr. King would be ashamed of where the ‘black elite’ have taken his vision.
TnGelding
October 21st, 2009
9:57 am
I thuought students selected homecoming queens everywhere. What a sham. No wonder some were upset.
TnGelding
October 21st, 2009
10:01 am
Davo
October 21st, 2009
9:53 am
It’s pretty obvious Ms. Tucker didn’t pay her dues.
lmno
October 21st, 2009
10:03 am
“In this country, RACE is the predominant element…”
Ok, I will buy that. Now, what can be done to end it?
Honestly, I am tired of it. I mean, if racism continues to be the worst part of our society, what can be done to end it?
I am not only tired of racism, I am tired of the complaining about racism, and the complaining about the complaining of racism.
What needs to be done to move on? Whatever it is, lets do it. Money? Power? What? Lets just do whatever we have to do so that no one will complain about racism any more.
Turd Ferguson
October 21st, 2009
11:21 am
“Joshua Packwood its first white valedictorian. He was happily accepted by students at all-male Morehouse”
Uh no…there were several black males who were upset by a non-black not being valedictorian.
Lettuce not try to white-wash these incidents of blacks “deserving” all the breaks then behaving as bigots towards non-blacks who have made equal or greater achievements.
Then there is the subject of this “reprezi-in” crap-ola.
Kevin
October 21st, 2009
12:36 pm
Davo,
Your statements are actually quite profound. You articulated exactly what I have been thinking about lately. The “citizens” vs “dependants” idea is spot-on. Thanks for your comments.
Shananeeeeee Fananeeeeeeee
October 21st, 2009
12:43 pm
Obama is as corrupt as they come. He doesn’t have time to help this young lady. Instead of focusing on important issues he has been on the Olympics, Network Neutrality, and making sure his hired artists keep putting out that propaganda art. Change in 2010 and 2012, Change we are looking forward to.
Jack
October 21st, 2009
12:48 pm
The campus queen should have written to Bush because everyone knows that her being chosen was his fault
RAMBLE ON!!!
October 21st, 2009
1:36 pm
Another article about race from the Jayson Blair of the AJC.
BravesFan79
October 21st, 2009
2:03 pm
I see nothing wrong with this article. Its good to have clear open discussions about race without being overly politically correct. But yes… amazingly to all the liberals out there… Blacks CAN be racist as well.
And even tho their 3 times more likely to commit a “hate crime” than whites according to the FBI, they are seldom charged with “hate crimes” like whites are.
No one can tell me that the Carjacking / Rape / and brutal murder of 2 white Univ of Tenn students by worthless thug blacks last year wasn’t a hate crime!!
And you better believe if it had been a black kid getting beat on that bus by whites (for simply trying to sit down in a seat) that you would of had Jessy and AL leading thousands in marches demanding “hate crime” charges!
The double standards in this country should make people sick, and the liberals can’t fool everyone forever, by hiding the facts in order to promote “diversity”.
Chris Broe
October 21st, 2009
2:15 pm
Racism has been downsized to personal one-on-one expressions of hate. A black person probably is confronted with some aspect of white dismay about their existence every single day, (not in the overall media-zeitgeist, but in-tight, up-close and personal, where fear can infiltrate a citizen’s confidence in justice, truth, and in our ability to share the country).
If the opportunity for an unwitnessed salutation with N-words presents itself, any racist will remind a black man in no uncertain terms about what caste he would have belonged in if this were Seven Score and Four Years Ago, (1865).
Perhaps Wooten could run his “70% of single moms are black” piece again.
Go ‘head, Wooten. Make my day.
hryder
October 21st, 2009
2:34 pm
Some day perhaps skin color will be but a physical descriptive term similar to eye color, height, weight, or whatever. Until almost all people reach that point there will be someone claiming racism was perpetrated upon them. Get over it!! Ignore or avoid the ignorant people without a clue of acceptable behaviors and attempt to live your life in an acceptable fashion as the majority of ALL people in our country expect. Remember the criminals, nonconformists, and nut cases are the exception not the rule.
Hello
October 21st, 2009
3:37 pm
@Call it like it is.
Check out people magazine and the beautiful list. You might find 3-4 black people out of 100. Are you telling me that only 3-4 black people look good in Hollywood?
Ugly and Proud
October 21st, 2009
3:52 pm
Is anyone appalled that in 2009, we still have antiquated customs like choosing a Homecoming Queen, ANY race, to begin with??? It’s about time we stopped valuing women for superficial reasons
reservoirDAWG
October 21st, 2009
4:02 pm
No, not appalled.
Grumpy
October 21st, 2009
4:37 pm
My irony meter exploded while reading this article.
samuel
October 21st, 2009
4:37 pm
I think that most, if not all of the negative comments about Cynthia Tucker on this blog are from bitter white Southern men who still resent the fact that we have a black President. I know for sure that none of these people voted for Obama and they won’t miss a chance to vent their anger at Ms. Tucker. Remember that most whites outside the South voted for Obama. This includes white majorities in New York, California, Oregon, Washington state, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Maine. In fact, of the 28 states that Obama won in the 2008 election, he won the white vote in 18 of them. Of the 3 states Obama won in the South, in none did he get more than 30-35% of the white vote. In fact, if not for the 69 to 30 percent white southern majority that MCcain got, the election would have been even more decisively in Obama’s favor. For the haters on this blog, check the numbers and you’ll see what I’m talking about.
Tax payer funded Public Option, NEVER!
October 21st, 2009
5:03 pm
mmmm, mmmmm, mmmmm, Barack “the Liar” Obama
Tax payer funded Public Option, NEVER!
October 21st, 2009
5:06 pm
Sam, where do you get your figures. NO ONE knows how anyone voted, it’s secret, remember. You are only using polling samples and making guesses. But I would glady admit I DIDN’T vote for Obama, and it’s not his color, although since he’s 1/2 white, it could have been.
DebbieDoRight
October 21st, 2009
5:15 pm
Kevin: Are blacks too insecure to compete in the Miss America contest, thus the need for Ms. Black America? Can’t win in the music awards? Then create black music awards. The list goes on an on
Kevin, when you get a chance, why not pick up a HISTORY book; it’ll do you worlds of good!!!
fromatl1
October 21st, 2009
5:50 pm
I am so sick of hearing about race….black colleges, black beauty contest, black entertainment television, black this, black that…here’s a novel idea….get rid of these racist clubs and show us inferior white people how it’s suppose to be done. Give us an example please. Until then, shut the heck up and clean up your own house before condemning every white person you come in contact with as being slave owning, racist KKK card carrying members….Jeeeeeze…get over it CT…you Race Baiter..
I have a dream
October 21st, 2009
5:57 pm
it’s self-imposed collectivism. It’s easier to be part of a group than stand out as an individual. This is something that the blacks will probably never accept for it means they lose their united front of reverse racism against the establishment. It’s why the hispanics, asians and other ethnic groups have been so succesful in America; they’ve chosen to be citizens, not dependants.
Davo, perfectly said!
From NC
October 21st, 2009
6:01 pm
Black people are not inferior of white people, but is it such a bad thing for us to hold on to something? Being a graduate from a HBCU I can understand the upset, especially from the perspective of not being able to choose the homecoming queen. Also, HBCU’s are institutions that were built to afford African American people the opportunity to not only an education but a constant sense of heritage. To be upset about the idea is not racism, it is like an insult. But, I can say this…. Why do people think that it is not correct until a white person is member of it. Secondly, if black people occupy every entity of a organization, does that mean that we are not embracing the changing culture. Call me racist if you want but if my HBCU chose one, I cannot say that I would be supportive.
Roger
October 21st, 2009
6:17 pm
I like the comment by Peadawg at 9:34 AM.
samuel
October 21st, 2009
7:23 pm
To Tax payer funded Public Option NEVER! @ 5:06pm. Think about this: In the 2008 Presidential election, Obama won every region of the country by double digits except the South, which he lost by 9 percentage points. The only reason Obama lost the South overall is because of the huge majority of white Sotherners who voted against him. More than half of all blacks in the U.S. live in the South, so there aren’t too many more blacks in the rest of the country to go around. If you do your resarch, you’ll find that Obama had his biggest majorities percentage-wise in the New England region, and that includes states like Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Conneticut and Massachusetts, where outside of the Boston area, there are not many minorities and there are very few blacks. Other states Obama won that don’t have very many black or other minority voters include Colorado, Oregon, Washington state and Iowa. You conservatives really need to do your research. Such silly people.
Madison
October 21st, 2009
7:34 pm
HDB, have you ever heard of Thurbert E. Baker?
saywhat?
October 21st, 2009
7:42 pm
Kevin wrote “Oh, and to WC McCall– Cynthia look for another line of work?? Doing what? I don’t see an abundance of job postings in which the requirements include, “must be a bitter, racist name-caller who thinks they’re much smarter than they actually are.” ”
Afraid of losing YOUR job Kevin?
KJ
October 21st, 2009
7:43 pm
I wish the young lady well. Some will be upset because the don’t know any better. Some just thrive on ignorance, hate, and anger…sounds like some when President Obama was elected…because thats all they know. Hate is strong, but it is sad…especially when its not confronted.
Algonquin J. Calhoun
October 21st, 2009
7:45 pm
October 21st, 2009
7:42 pm
Kevin wrote “Oh, and to WC McCall– Cynthia look for another line of work?? Doing what? I don’t see an abundance of job postings in which the requirements include, “must be a bitter, racist name-caller who thinks they’re much smarter than they actually are.”
If you do see any, why don’t you submit your resume?
Ayn Rand Was Right
October 21st, 2009
8:19 pm
Ms. Tucker…your advice may do Mr. President some good. Tell him not to worry about Fox News…a few detractors shouldn’t hurt anyone, unless you give them the power to do it.
Anyway, he is too busy worrying about college play-offs to worry about college beauty pageants.
ck hall
October 21st, 2009
8:55 pm
The article is about what I expected from Ms Tucker–Race/Race/ and more Race! If one wants a race story read Tucker everyday, otherwise skip her altogether..
jacwg
October 21st, 2009
8:57 pm
Wow! ” black institutions have, in the past, jealously guarded their awards as honors set aside for black recipients”
Kind of sounds like NAACP, Miss Black America, 100 Black Men of Atlanta, … etc
Exclusively black orgs, and events promoting blacks.
heck, just perform a Google search for black organizations. Lots of em.
Cynthia, exactly when are you going to call them out for being the racists that they are, and call for their dissolution.and banishment? I find it curious that you find all of those acceptable.
Yet you keep commenting as if to say its OK. ” they only do it because whites did it to them first” seems to be your childlike argument.
Could it be that you may be a little bit racist? or does it just make your job easier to create shock talk. Would you lose your black readers? or would more walls of racism get torn down?
just a curious white guy.
Call it Like It Is
October 21st, 2009
9:01 pm
Here is a perfect example of why Obama got elected. Most Blacks that never voted in the past voted based upon skin color not substance.
Again, the Black College thing needs to go away for this reason as it is Racist to have and indicate that a particular university is typically for Blacks only.
Cynthia, is like Sharpton, Jackson, and Wright, all Racist.
Enough Said!
Momof2
October 21st, 2009
9:31 pm
Samuel, CT being racist has nothing to do with Obama! Most all of the articles Tucker writes her racism shines through. By the way, why do we have black colleges, black Ms. America, black awards, etc.? Racism comes in all colors.
George
October 22nd, 2009
12:31 am
“Ok, I will buy that. Now, what can be done to end it? ”
Talking sense into Louisiana Justice of Peace Bardwell could be a start!
Kymberlyn
October 22nd, 2009
1:43 pm
Once again it is whites who are screaming the loudest about “reverse racism” and yet are the ones too lazy to do anything to change the societal mindset. They say “get over it” which seems to be their answer for anything they are not comfortable dealing with head-on. They never ask WHY there are black/latino/asian organizations in the first place (that requires critical thinking skills), but complain about them and how “unfair” they are.
Tom Middleton
October 22nd, 2009
7:44 pm
Like you said, Cynthia, anytime someone steps out of the box of tradition, there’s going to be some kind of trouble. Some might support it and love him or her, but others might disagree and hate.
It’s just in the nature of being a vanguard of anything nowadays, but I sympathize with Miss Churchill and know why she did what she did.
President Obama is a master vanguard, and his going to the campus would have helped. (And who wouldn’t want to meet the president.) But since he can’t go, he can be there in spirit, and she’ll be just fine, I’m sure.
Then she can continue watching and learning from him, so that the next time she makes a move out into the lime light (and hopefully there will be many more such times), she can do it with his master ease!
Charlz
October 23rd, 2009
2:46 pm
As a long time reader of The AJC recently transferred to Chicago,
I find it deeply disturbing that the vast majority of “commenting” readers of your column seem to be mindless unreconstructed southern citizens. You deserve much better.
George
October 23rd, 2009
6:02 pm
As a long time reader of The AJC recently transferred to Chicago,
I find it deeply disturbing that the vast majority of “commenting” readers of your column seem to be mindless unreconstructed southern citizens. You deserve much better.
As I said they complain about how unfair minority organizations are, when they have little or nothing to say about all white country clubs and all white sororities. An interracial couple tried to get over the race issue in Louisiana and it was the retarded white justice of so-called peace (more likely injustice of white bigotry) that made race an issue. And the deluded folks in this blog love to lecture blacks but have little or nothing to say about their bigoted fellow white southerner.
George
October 23rd, 2009
6:05 pm
Had Lincoln done to the confederates after the Civil War what Truman did to the Nazis..ie., try traitors Lee and others in the Confederate Army for treason as they tried Gobells and Goering..we would never have had any Jim Crow and there would be no Bob Jones University or Justice of Peace Bardwell playing up the race issue today! And there would be no Historically Black Colleges. Lincoln was a weakling compared to Truman!
David from WI
October 28th, 2009
6:39 am
Time for a beer at the white house again???????
Time for some FAR LEFT HELP with another ‘problem’?
Bottoms up. and drink em if you got ‘em.