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Bob Jones University Apologizes because of its Racist Past

Bob Jones University, the Bible college in Greenville, sc, didn’t acknowledge students that are black the 1970s. Then, for the period that is 30-year interracial relationship ended up being forbidden. Now the college has established that its polices had been incorrect.

Lost in the news that is spectacular for the election of a black colored guy as president regarding the united states of america is another event — this time around in degree — that appears as being a milestone in racial progress. In a statement that is eloquent Stephen Jones, great-grandson for the creator and also the 4th president of Bob Jones University, has apologized for the institution’s racist past.

President Jones reported, “For very nearly two hundreds of years Christianity that is american BJU with its initial phases, had been described as the segregationist ethos of US tradition. Consequently, for way too very very very long, we allowed institutional policies race that is regarding be shaped more straight by that ethos than because of the maxims and precepts for the Scriptures. We conformed into the tradition as opposed to offer a definite christian counterpoint to it.

“In so doing, we neglected to accurately express the father also to match the commandment to love other people as ourselves. Of these problems our company is profoundly sorry. Though no understood antagonism toward minorities or expressions of racism for a level that is personal ever been tolerated on our campus, we permitted institutional policies to stay in position which were racially hurtful.”

By means of back ground for this remarkable announcement let’s review the racial reputation for Bob Jones University.

The founder that is university’s Bob Jones, had been a fundamentalist evangelist whom thought that the idea of development had been an abomination. He called the pope the anti-Christ and dismissed Catholicism as a “Satanic counterfeit.” He as soon as stated, “I would personally instead view a saloon on every part compared to a Catholic into the White House.”

Jones Sr. ended up being for the view that twentieth-century blacks must certanly be grateful to whites for bringing their ancestors to the nation as slaves. If this had not occurred, Jones composed in 1960,“they might still there be over within the jungles of Africa, unconverted.” Integrationists, in accordance with Jones, had been wrongfully wanting to expel natural boundaries that Jesus himself had founded.

By using wealthy supporters, Bob Jones founded an university near Panama City, Florida, in 1926. Bibb Graves, that has just been elected governor of Alabama using the formal backing regarding the Ku Klux Klan, provided the keynote target during the groundbreaking ceremony. Whenever classes started in 1927, admission of pupils ended up being formally on a users of the race that is white a policy that persisted until 1971.

Experiencing Depression-related financial hardships in 1933, Bob Jones ended up being obligated to offer the Florida land and go his university to Cleveland, Tennessee. In 1936 a new billy graham joined the brand new Bob Jones College in Tennessee. But he quickly became disenchanted along with its strict spiritual doctrine and social policies and utilized in Florida Bible Institute. In 1947 Bob Jones university moved yet again, this time around to its site that is present in, sc. Now financially seem, the faculty started initially to provide master’s and doctoral degrees and assumed the designation of the college.

Whenever Bob Jones Jr., the son associated with creator, became the institution’s president, he continued the institution’s policies of rabid bigotry. During their tenure he bestowed degrees that are honorary George Wallace, Strom Thurmond, and Lester Maddox. Whenever Pope Paul VI passed away in 1978, Bob Jones Jr. called him the “archpriest of Satan, a deceiver, and then he has, like Judas, visited their very own spot.”

Whenever Bob Jones III assumed the presidency regarding the organization in 1971, male pupils had been expected to wear coats and ties to classes. Ladies had been obliged to put on dresses or skirts. Rock music ended up being forbidden on campus. Pupils had been forbidden from going to movies. Pupils are not permitted to be on off-campus times with no chaperone. On campus, the university maintained two “dating parlors” where pupils could satisfy to talk. Touching had not been permitted and kissing had been strictly forbidden no matter if the few ended up being involved to be hitched. Male and students that are female maybe perhaps not allowed to talk with each other after 7 p.m. The campus ended up being divided through the town of Greenville by an iron and fence that is barbed-wire.

Under authorities force, Bob Jones University finally started its doorways to unmarried students that are black. But strict laws had been founded by the college to avoid interracial relationship. In 1976, through the management of Gerald Ford, the insurance policy on interracial relationship led to the Internal sales Service’s revoking the tax-exempt status of Bob Jones University retroactive to 1970. The IRS demanded the repayment of $490,000 in straight back taxes. The college appealed the ruling. Ultimately, in 1981, the Supreme Court of this united states of america heard the outcome. The latest Reagan management initially supported the positioning of this college but, after having an outcry that is public switched edges. In 1983 the Supreme Court ruled against Bob Jones University and only the IRS by way of a vote of 8 to Chat Zozo online at least one. The lone dissenter had been belated Chief Justice for the United States William Rehnquist.* On being encouraged regarding the choice regarding the Court, Bob Jones III ordered that the flags that are american campus be flown at half-staff.

In 1998 Jonathan Pait, a pr spokesman when it comes to university, explained the school’s prohibition against interracial dating: “God has divided individuals for his very own purposes. He’s erected barriers between the countries, not merely land and ocean obstacles, but in addition cultural, social, and language obstacles. God has made people not the same as the other person and intends those distinctions to keep. Bob Jones University is in opposition to intermarriage for the events since it stops working the barriers God has built.”

In 2000 the college finished its formal prohibition against interracial relationship. Now eight years later on, the college has admitted that its policies had been incorrect.

This modification of heart at Bob Jones University comes in the heels of present very good news about black colored enrollments during the nation’s other Bible universities. JBHE’s database implies that in 1997 there have been just nine Bible colleges where blacks composed ten percent or higher of total enrollments. Today you can find 29 schools that are such.

*William Rehnquist had a history that is long of to the advancement of blacks. He opposed the 1954 Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education and also as A gop that is young pollwatcher Arizona, Rehnquist ended up being active in challenging black voters’ skills.

To get more regarding the racism of Rehnquist, see “The Racial Views of this Chief Justice of this united states of america,” JBHE, quantity 23, Spring 1999, p. 72.