Governor Bill Lee attended “old South” parties

Gov. Bill Lee found himself facing criticism after photos resurfaced of him attending “old South†parties at Auburn University during his time in college.

Lee, who was 17 years old at the time the photos were taken, was a member of Auburn’s Kappa Alpha chapter. The organization was known for embracing the confederate imagery, including the flag and members wearing the confederate uniform. A photo of Lee in a confederate uniform has surfaced.

Lee has since made an apology, stating, “I never intentionally acted in a insensitive way, but I can see that participating in that was insensitive and I’ve come to regret it.â€

The Kappa Alpha chapter describes the deceased confederate commander Robert E. Lee as the group’s “spiritual founder.†Robert E. Lee was not a member of the chapter.Brian Kwoba, assistant Professor in the Department of History at the University of Memphis, said he thinks Gov. Lee could’ve made a better apology.

“I think it is unfortunate that the governor did not use this as a teachable moment,†Kwoba said. “His statements that wearing a confederate uniform was ‘insensitive’ demonstrates a refusal to undertake an honest reckoning with the history of racism and white supremacy in this country in general and in the state of Tennessee in particular.â€

Lee wasn’t the only member affected by old photographs. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey also faced backlash for some old events. 

Ivey, who attended Auburn a decade earlier than Lee and was a member of the sorority Alpha Gam Minstrels, was in a photo that showed five members in black face portraying “minstrels†in a rush suit. Ivey, at the time, was the vice president of the student body. Ivey said there is no place for black face, and she does not recall ever being a part of the skit.

Professor Kwoba is not the only one who has something to say about Lee’s respone for his part in the photos. Alexis Young, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., also chimed in on Gov. Lee’s comments.

“I feel that he’s just doing a public response,†Young said. “He knew the entire time including now what it stood for. I think that he’s just trying to cover it up now that he’s a politician.â€

It seems he might face an uphill battle with the photos coming out that he was involved in these “parties.†Lee has been in office since being sworn in as governor in January. Since then, he has taken heavy criticism for these actions.