Miss Hampton Apologizes

UPDATE 10/15/09: Miss Hampton University apologized one day after writing a letter to President Obama that said her crowning was not widely accepted on the Hampton University campus because she is not Black, according to WTKR.com. Nikole Churchill asked Obama to help her convince close-minded people on campus to support her title. Churchill issued a statement about 9 P.M. Monday that said she regrets writing the President and did not intend to bring negative attention to her school.

"I took the comments of a few and blew it out of proportion," Churchill wrote. "In reality, all comments that have been directed toward me and the reception I received at the (Hampton University vs. Howard University football game on Saturday) were genuinely supportive."

Churchill issued the apology after meeting with student officials and leaders Monday afternoon to discuss her term as Miss Hampton University, said school spokeswoman Yuri Milligan.

"I thought she should have contacted the student government president or even [Hampton University President] Dr. [William] Harvey, not the President of the United States of America," he said. "If there's a problem in the house, a family problem, you keep it in the house. You don't display your dirty laundry for everyone to see."--BB

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On October 21, Hampton University will make history by crowning their first White Miss Hampton. Last Friday, the historically Black university, who counts Booker T. Washington among its alumni, named Nikole Churchill, a 22-year-old nursing major from Virginia Beach, as Miss Hampton 2009-2010. Churchill's mother is Italian and her father is from Guam, according to published reports.

Although Churchill won the coveted beauty crown, her win was not met with applause around campus. In fact, she wrote a letter to President Obama expressing the mixed reactions to her news. "It would be much easier to say that possibly some were not accepting of the news because I wasn't the most qualified contestant; however, the true reason for the disapproval was because of the color of my skin. I am not African American," said Churchill in her letter. "Despite the unfortunate beliefs that some are saying I should not have won, I am desperately trying to focus on those who believe in me and support me and my goal to represent this beautiful, multicultural campus the very best way that I can." ESSENCE.com contacted Hampton University for an official comment, but no one was available.

But Hampton is not the first HBCU to elect a non-Black woman for the traditional beauty pageant. Kentucky State University announced Elisabeth Joy Martin, a White English major, as their queen last year.—CM