21 Black Women Among 2,054 University of Alabama Sorority Recruits

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Annual recruitment has ended for sororities at the University of Alabama with Black women making up just 1 percent of new members.

The university released a breakdown of the 2014 sorority pledge class Saturday amid questions over whether the groups accept Blacks as new members. Its numbers showed 2,054 women accepted bids to join sororities. Of those, 190 were minorities — including 21 Black women.

Deborah M. Lane, associate vice president for university relations, said all pledges who identified themselves as Black received a bid to join a sorority. Still, she said, “We have not reached our destination.”

The university became embroiled in controversy last year after the student newspaper reported some White sororities rejected Blacks as new members because of race. Administrators changed some rules to encourage diversity.