TUSCALOOSA WITH THE STORY. >> THEY LIKE GREW UP — >> Reporter: MELANIE THOUGHT THIS YEAR HER LAST AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA WOULD BE THE YEAR A BLACK STUDENT WOULD BE INVITED TO JOIN ALPHA GAMMA DELTA. THE REASON SHE SAID WAS A GIRL
EVERYONE WAS TALKING ABOUT. >> WHAT YOU DID HEAR ABOUT HER? >> I HEARD THERE WAS A BLACK GIRL COMING THROUGH. THAT SHE WAS WONDERFUL AND FABULOUS. AND SHE HAD A RESUME THAT EMBARRASSED ANY OF US. >> Reporter: WHEN IT WAS TIME TO DETERMINE WHETHER TO LET THE
GIRL JOIN, SHE SAID SORORITY LEADERS DECIDE AD VOTE WAS NOT NECESSARY. >> AND OF COURSE, I SAY WE WON’T TALK ABOUT THE BLACK GIRL. >> Reporter: ACCORDING TO HER, THE ONLY REASON THEY GAVE FOR NOT LETTING HER IN WAS A TECHNICALITY ON A LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION.
CHRIS SAYS HIS STEP DAUGHTER IS THE GIRL EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT. SHE DOESN’T WANT HER NAME OR FACE OUT THERE BUT HE CONFIRMED FOR US THAT NO SORORITY INVITED HER TO JOIN. >> IF WE’RE JUST TALKING ABOUT ON PAPER, WHAT KIND OF PERSON
WOULD FIT, I THINK SHE FITS MORE THAN YOUR AVERAGE PERSON. >> Reporter: IF SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN WHITE, DO YOU DO SHE WOULD HAVE — >> YEAH, I DO. AND THAT’S THE PROBLEM. >> NO DOUBT IN YOUR MIND. >> REALLY, NO. I DON’T THINK SO, NO.
THAT’S WHY I FELT SO STRONGLY ABOUT IT TOO. >>> THE UNIVERSITY RELEASE AD STATEMENT SAYING IN PART, THEY ARE WORKING TO, QUOTE, REMOVE ANY BARRIERS THAT PREVENT YOUNG WOMEN FROM MAKING THE CHOICES THEY WANT TO MAKE. THE LOCAL CHAPTER OF ALPHA GAMMA
DELTA REFER US TO THEIR NATIONAL ORGANIZATION WHICH RELEASE AD STATEMENT SAYING THEY HAVE A STRONG AND CLEAR POLICY AGAINST SELF-INCRIMINATION NATION. THEY ARE INVESTIGATING THE INCIDENT. ABBY CRANE AND MATTHEW FORD, TWO EDITORS AT THE CAMPUS PAPER, BROKE THE STORY ON WEDNESDAY. AND IT IS FUELING CONVERSATION
BEYOND THE CAMPUS. EVEN THE GOVERNOR IS WEIGHING IN. >> I ASKED MY WIFE ABOUT IT LAST NIGHT. SHE SAID IT IS NOT THE STUDENTS. IT IS THE A ALUMNI. PERSONALLY I THINK THEY NEED TO CHANGE THEIR ATTITUDE. >> Reporter: RACE IS A PARTICULARLY SENSITIVE TOPIC ON CAMPUS.
IN FACT IT WAS HERE IN FRONT OF FOSTER AUDITORIUM 50 YEARS AGO ON JUNE OF 1963 THAT THEN GOVERNOR GEORGE WALLACE STOOD IN FRONT OF THESE DOORS AND TRIED TO STOP THE FIRST TWO AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDENTS FROM ENROLLING IN THE SCHOOL. TODAY, HE SAID SOME OF HER
FELLOW STUDENTS HAVE PRIVATELY TOLD HER THEY ARE GLAD SHE IS SPEAKING OUT BUT SO FAR, SHE IS THE ONLY ONE IN HER SORORITY TO COME FORWARD PUBLICLY. >> I DON’T BLAME THEM FOR NOT SPEAKING OUT. THAT DOESN’T MAKE THEM BAD PEOPLE.
IT JUST MAKES THEM SCARED TO DO SUCH A BIG AND DARING THING. IT WILL BE THE FIRST OF MANY, I HOPE, OF
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