GREENVILLE, S.C. — Bob Jones University, the conservative Christian school in Greenville, S.C., that did not admit black students until 1971 and banned interracial dating until 2000, has apologized for its past racial policies.
The school posted a “Statement about Race at Bob Jones University” on its Web site Nov. 20, saying the school’s past policies were shaped “for far too long” by “the segregationist ethos of American culture” rather than by biblical principles.
“In so doing, we failed to accurately represent the Lord and to fulfill the commandment to love others as ourselves,” the statement reads. “For these failures we are profoundly sorry.”
Five university alumni launched a Web site, Please-Reconcile.org, to collect signatures for an open letter to Bob Jones leaders saying they were “troubled” by the school’s racist reputation. They collected more than 500 signatures seeking a university statement that past positions on racial discrimination were “mistaken.”
Leaders of the effort said 92 percent of the signatories identified themselves as alumni or former students. The statement by the university was released before the group sent its letter and signatures to the administration.
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