Anyone Remember When The University Of Alabama Used Bill Cosby To Help Justify Racial Segregation On Its Campus?

Back in the fall of 2013, the University of Alabama was embroiled in a national scandal after a student newspaper report uncovered the systemic racism fostered by the Greek System on campus.

University officials scrambled to get a hold on the situation as students rallied and marched on campus in an attempt to desegregate the dozens of nearly all white sororities.

Then University President Judy Bonner was roundly criticized for her inaction to address the issue before UA’s student paper, the Crimson White published the expose, which then went viral.

In an attempt to calm the anger on campus, Bonner used a meeting with Bill Cosby, who at the time was largely beloved in the country to show that Alabama cared about social progress.

It was cringeworthy then and is even more cringeworthy now.

WATCH: 2013 video of Alabama President using Bill Cosby to smooth over racism 

The Alabama student protest led to change on the campus. 214 women accepted bids to UA sororities this past August and the student body elected its first African-American SGA president in nearly forty years last spring.

The Alabama movement also preceded similar action at the University of Missouri and other colleges this past fall.

Bonner retired from her role as President earlier this year.

Cosby was charged with aggravated indecent assault earlier today in Pennsylvania.

Read More:

So What Is Bill Cosby Exactly Being Charged With?

Cover Photo Credit: University of Alabama/ Vimeo (Screengrab)

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About the Author
Rich Robinson is the CEO and publisher of Rise News. He is also a journalist and a native of Miami. Robinson graduated from the University of Alabama and can be followed on Twitter @RichRobMiami.
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