‘Samford University apologizes for the offensive image that appeared on T-shirts produced by the Kappa chapter of the Alpha Delta Pi sorority.
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The T-shirts depicted a map of Alabama marked with an array of images – including an illustration of a black man holding a slice of watermelon to his mouth in the map’s southeast corner.
Lauren Hammond, ADPi Samford chapter president, admitted that they were wrong to have disobeyed the school’s authority and by using those images on their T-shirts. It appears the shirts were produced for the sorority’s spring formal. This is completely inconsistent with the university’s mission and values.
The T-shirt’s design was rejected by the university as part of its approval process, but the shirts were printed anyways.
Samford University president Andrew Westmoreland also issued a letter apologizing to the student body, which was reprinted by local TV station WBRC.
She added that once the mistake was realized, the sorority’s members were asked not to wear the shirt anymore and that the clothing would be destroyed.
A statement from Alpha Delta Pi’s national headquarters noted that the t-shirt design does not reflect “the values of respect and dignity” the organization proudly stands for. It is a poignant, gripping reminder that, regardless of progress made, additional progress awaits us. We will, of course, conduct a thorough review of that process. The organization also pointed out that it neither approves any design with racial stereotypes nor tolerates any other “offensive images or language”. Alpha Delta Pi will continue to investigate and provide updates as they become available, and will take appropriate actions at the conclusion of our investigation.
The chapter (pictured winning a Ronald McDonald House Charities award) said that it did not pay attention to the details on the map.. The shirt vendor has also come forward to acknowledge that while the university did send the rejection notice to them, the vendor failed to notify the chapter of the rejection due to a clerical error.
“Let me add this personal word to our employees and students of color, in the hope that you can know of my personal embarrassment”.
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“I was repulsed by the image. I lack the words to express my own sense of frustration”, he wrote Friday.
