For Millennials. By Millennials.
The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’s star Ellie Kemper apologized for taking part in a racist event. People came at Ellie for being a ‘KKK Princess’. When people called out the star, she issued an apology on her Instagram account. She wrote in her apology:
Hi guys, when I was 19 years old, I decided to participate in a debutante ball in my hometown. The century-old organization that hosted the debutante ball had an unquestionably racist, se*ist, and elitist past. I was not aware of history at that time, but ignorance is no excuse. I was old enough to have educated myself before getting involved.
This was just the first slide of a five-slide post.
She further mentioned:
There is a very natural temptation when you become the subject of internet criticism, to tell yourself that your dictators are getting it wrong. But I realized last week that a lot of the forces behind the criticism are the forces that I have spent supporting throughout my life.
In the last slide, she added”
I want to apologize to the people I have disappointed and I promise that moving forward I will listen and continue to educate myself. I will use my privilege in support of the better society I think we are capable of becoming.
Related: TikToker Renata Ri apologizes for racist comments, saying her words were taken out of context
Why did Ellie Kemper apologize?
The whole chaos began when old pictures of Ellie Kemper emerged on the internet. Where she was named Queen of Love and Beauty of the Former Veiled Prophet Ball in her native St. Louis. The celebration was renamed as Fair Saint Louis in 1992. The Veiled Prophet’s reputation was not very good because of the charges of racism and elitism against the Veiled Prophet group.
An author and historian named Thomas Spencer wrote a book named ‘The St. Louis Veiled Prophet Celebration: Power on Parade, 1877-1995’. He explained about the Veiled prophet group and described the organization as a society of White St. Loius elites. He also said that the organization was established in the 1870s.
Spencer told the Times
The first parade has some pretty overt racial symbolism and intimidation
We are not sure if people will accept Ellie’s apology or not but we hope for the best. Many celebrities showed support to Kemper including Mindy Kaling, Alec Baldwin, and Rob Delaney.