Rachael Malonson, who's father is black and mother is white, says she was heavily criticized on social media for her light complexion after winning the title
According to ABC News it all started when she won the miss black university of Texas beauty pageant on May 2. Soon after, the "hurtful Twitter comments" began. The theme: That Malonson was not black enough.
The pageant, sponsored by the Iota Delta chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi, a black fraternity, was established in 1982. In a letter released after the pageant the fraternity says the event aims to "support and uplift African-American women.
The Iota Delta Chapter Releases a Statement Regarding the 2017 Miss Black University of Texas pic.twitter.com/uJ8wqmqvQG
— Iota Delta NUPEs (@ID_NUPEs) May 5, 2017
The letter goes on to describe Malonson as the "perfect embodiment" of the pageants' ideal. There are other supporters, too. Malonson told ABC News:
"A lot of people who know me, and others who don't know me, started having my back, and truly supporting me and telling me that I deserved that title. It's turned into a beautiful thing."
