University of Virginia Library

During my four years at the
University, I have been extremely
impressed with those students who
have worked diligently in an attempt
to curb and, hopefully, end
racial prejudice here. While there
have been some major steps in the
right direction, an atmosphere of
true racial equality is totally nonexistent.

Very unfortunately, a black
student faces many instances of
discrimination here, including the
fraternities. But do the fraternities
deserve to be pinpointed as a (or
the) major source of bigotry, as if
their case were unique from the rest
of the University community? I
think not.

I feel the attitudes shown
toward the black rushees is symbolize
of something far greater than
the fact that few, if any, blacks will
be asked to pledge a fraternity this
semester. It is a fact that bigotry
exists in the student body at the
University of Virginia. Who comprises
fraternities? — students at the
University. I think it is a rash and
absurd generalization to associate
fraternity men with the image of
the "traditional White Anglo-Saxon
Protestant bigots from New
England prep schools," as Cavalier
Daily writers insist upon doing.
Bigots come in many different
disguises than this.

My objective in this letter is not
to defend the treatment shown
during fraternity rush to the black
students interviewed yesterday. I
was repulsed by it. But I want to
emphasize that while the criticism
was reasonable, the scope of the
criticism was amazingly narrow. As
long as there are those in the
student body who do not believe in
racial equality, there will be fraternity
men who are bigots. But a
fraternity pin is not the symbol of
racism, nor is the fraternity an
institution fostering bigotry. There
are as many open-minded fraternity
men as open-minded independents.

To criticize the treatment shown
to black students at the University
is valid and essential; but to
repeatedly emphasize that the situation
is worse in fraternities at the
University than in other segments
of the community is viewing the
subject out of context.