For some inexplicable reason, February 2019 has turned into the month where blackface photos in college yearbooks come back to haunt people. Just weeks after Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s blackface controversy, reports surfaced that USA Today Editor-in-Chief Nicole Carroll actually edited the 1988-89 Arizona State University yearbook that featured two images of people dressed in blackface.
According to The Wrap, Carroll published a lengthy apology on Thursday for her role in editing the images in the yearbook, which featured two people at a Halloween party dressed as Mike Tyson and Robin Givens. She denounced the images as “horrible” while apologizing for any “hurt” she may have caused.
“The 1988-89 yearbook I edited at Arizona State University included a photo of two people at a Halloween party dressed as Mike Tyson and Robin Givens. It is horrible, and of course the photo should not have been published,” wrote Carroll. “I am sorry for the hurt I caused back then and the hurt it will cause today.”
Carroll said she had no memory of the photo and learned of its existence as part of a “USA Today Network review of yearbooks” from that era.
“The image was discovered as part of a USA Today Network review of yearbooks from that time. I was shocked as I had no memory of that photo,” she continued. “I want to apologize publicly. As journalists, we must hold ourselves accountable as we do others, and it is important to call myself out for this poor judgment.”
As noted by The Wrap, Caroll’s blackface controversy adds to the litany of blackface controversies that have erupted throughout Black History Month, which has embroiled the likes of “The View” co-host Joy Behar and high profile fashion brands.
“Brands like Gucci and Burberry have been forced to apologize for racially insensitive clothing designs,” notes The Wrap. “A Katy Perry shoe design was also yanked. ‘The View’ co-host Joy Behar came in for heat after an old photo of her dressed as a ‘beautiful African woman’ began making the rounds.”
Read Carroll’s full apology:
The news is full of blackface pictures.
There can be no debate about whether or not such images are racist and hurtful. They are.
It was recently brought to my attention that I was involved in publishing such a photo when I was in college.
The 1988-89 yearbook I edited at Arizona State University included a photo of two people at a Halloween party dressed as Mike Tyson and Robin Givens. It is horrible, and of course the photo should not have been published.
I am sorry for the hurt I caused back then and the hurt it will cause today.
The image was discovered as part of a USA TODAY Network review of yearbooks from that time. I was shocked as I had no memory of that photo.
Clearly the 21-year-old me who oversaw the book and that page didn’t understand how offensive the photo was. I wish I had.
Today’s 51-year-old me of course understands and is crushed by this mistake.
I want to apologize publicly. As journalists, we must hold ourselves accountable as we do others, and it is important to call myself out for this poor judgment.
Also, I want to continue to grow from this.
As a journalist and editor, I have long championed diversity and inclusion in our newsroom and in our news coverage. I initiated USA TODAY’s current diversity committee. In Arizona, before I arrived at USA TODAY, our newsroom held frequent meetings with diverse communities, asking them to critique our work and help us do better. They always did.
Throughout my career, I’ve had, and will continue to have, newsroom conversations about how we can further educate ourselves and our readers about race, history and prejudice, as well as the serious issues facing women, the LGBTQ community and all marginalized groups.
And we’ll keep talking about how we are doing in recruiting and retaining journalists of color. We cannot cover America if we do not reflect America.
Accountability. Transparency. Education. Discussion.
That is how I grow.
That is how we grow.