Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has come under fire for appearing in a “racist” rush skit for her sorority during her time as an Auburn student in the 1960s.
The 74-year-old allegedly wore overalls and blackface while acting out the skit — which was dubbed “Cigar Butts.”
Her now-ex-husband, Ben LaRavia, described the performance in a 1967 radio interview that surfaced this week. Ivey issued an apology on Thursday in response, but claimed she didn’t remember the skit whatsoever.
“I have now been made aware of a taped interview that my then-fiance, Ben LaRavia, and I gave to the Auburn student radio station back when I was SGA Vice President,” Ivey said in a statement.
“Even after listening to the tape, I sincerely do not recall either the skit, which evidently occurred at a Baptist Student Union party, or the interview itself, both which occurred 52-years ago,” the governor claimed. “Even though Ben is the one on tape remembering the skit — and I still don’t recall ever dressing up in overalls or in blackface — I will not deny what is the obvious.
“As such, I fully acknowledge — with genuine remorse — my participation in a skit like that back when I was a senior in college,” Ivey continued. “While some may attempt to excuse this as acceptable behavior for a college student during the mid-1960s, that is not who I am today, and it is not what my Administration represents all these years later. I offer my heartfelt apologies for the pain and embarrassment this causes, and I will do all I can — going forward — to help show the nation that the Alabama of today is a far cry from the Alabama of the 1960s.”
Alabama Democrats were calling for Ivey’s resignation on Thursday, as was the NAACP.
“It may have been 52 years ago when the skit happened, but it apparently still shapes who she is today,” said Benard Simelton, president of the Alabama NAACP, in a statement.
“Ivey’s actions were reprehensible and are deeply offensive,” added Rep. Terri Sewell, the state’s only black member of Congress. “Her words of apology ring hollow if not met with real action to bridge the racial divide.”
Some legislators, however, applauded Ivey for “owning” the incident and not denying that it happened, like she did in February — when the Associated Press questioned Ivey about a picture showing her sorority sisters at Auburn wearing blackface in her 1967 yearbook.
“While I think this is something that is disturbing in the African American community, for someone to make a mockery of us and our culture, I appreciate her for at least owning it and coming out publicly with it,” said state Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton, who is black.
He told reporters that Ivey called him on Thursday morning to personally apologize.
“I said to the governor, ‘I think this is a teachable moment,'” Singleton recalled.
But many were upset that Ivey refused to publicly acknowledge her mistake by holding a press conference.
“She should have stood before the people of Alabama herself,” said Rep. Juandalynn Givan, a Democrat representing Birmingham. “I don’t care if it was 52 years ago or yesterday. She is the governor of the state of Alabama, which is still considered one of the most racist states in the U.S. This is who she was then. It is who she is now. I have nothing for her. I don’t accept her apology.”
Givan added, “Just as she stood there in blackface, how many times has she said n—er … That is the question black folk need to ask themselves today.”
Ivey is now the second state governor this year to get hit with calls to resign in response to a blackface controversy. Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam was asked to step down back in February after a photo from his 1984 yearbook page surfaced — showing a man in blackface next to someone in a Ku Klux Klan hood and robe. The state’s Attorney General Mark Herring also came under fire for blackface.
When questioned about the yearbook photo, Northam first admitted to being the person wearing blackface. But he later walked back that claim. The Democrat did admit to once wearing blackface, though, as part of a Michael Jackson costume.
With Post wires
