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The manager of the beauty contest Mrs America has been accused of racism by several contestants. One woman claimed to have been informed that "black women must stop having babies and have four dads".
Four of America's competitors in 2018 said that David Marmel, executive director and co-founder of the contest, made a series of racist generalizations in this year's Las Vegas contest.
One woman claimed that Marmel had suggested that black men were "drug traffickers" who "spotted", while another candidate said that Marmel had told her that "black men are criminals who must stop shooting at each other. "
Marmel, the executive director of America, co-founder of the contest in 1978, denied insensitive remarks about the race.
He stated that some of his comments had been taken out of context at "what had been agreed to be a confidential session during which we would examine our collective experiences".
At a press conference with Gloria Allred women's rights lawyer in New York, America America's Crissy Timpson said Marmel had published a number of racist comments in two separate conversations. at the Mrs America contest in August 2018.
She claimed that at a meeting in Marmel's office, he had stated, apparently in reference to Colin Kaepernick, the NFL player who had protested against police brutality during the national anthem , that "the asshole must stop disrespecting my flag".
Timpson, who is black, told Marmel that Kaepernick did not disrespect the flag.
"David changed the subject and said," Well, you have to stop killing yourself, people have to raise the black community, "she said.
"He told me," You black women have to stop having babies and having four dads, your men are drug traffickers, incarcerated, in prison, you get welfare and you you kill each other. "
Timpson appeared Monday with competitors Brandy Palacios, Kimberley Phillips and Jeri Ward. The other three women shared similar stories about Marmel's behavior at the contest.
Allred, a women's lawyer since the 1970s and recently representing some of the women who accused Bill Cosby of sexual assault, said she was "shocked" to hear Ms. America's news that she had been subjected to "Insensitive racist accusations". comments ".
"They feel it's their job to share what they claim to be their experience because they do not want next year's candidates to be subject to what they consider as racist comments offensive and degrading, "said Allred.
Timpson, Palacios, Phillips and Ward participated in the Mrs. America tournament after winning each of their statewide beauty pageants. It cost each woman $ 1,200 to participate in the national competition, and all four said they spent thousands more on travel, clothing and treatment.
Allred said the women had "no plan" to sue or seek damages.
"We ask [Marmel] to recognize what they claim to have said, to take responsibility for it and to apologize to them, "said Allred.
Timpson, Palacios, Phillips and Ward also want Marmel to take "awareness training on the issue of racial prejudice and racial stereotyping," said Allred, "so that what they claim to have been submitted will not happen again. Never again".
Recalling the conversations, Marmel said he recounted his experience as a Jewish baseball player, who had been the victim, along with his teammates, of mistreatment by the crowd. The women complained that Marmel had used the "word-n" by recalling a sign he had seen during a baseball game, which he had confirmed.
"For them to twist that in me using this bond as a kind of epithet is disgusting and says something about them."
Marmel said he founded the annual American Black Achievement Awards, which highlighted Black's accomplishments. He denied making the statements listed by Timpson – especially he said "it's bullshit" – and said he would not excuse or attend the training requested by the women.
"Based on my career and what I did for the African-American community, does it seem that I need awareness training?"
The pageant Mrs America de Marmel is the second incarnation of the contest. Mrs America, originally created by East Coast advertising guru, Burt Nevins, began in 1938, originally as a trick to draw visitors to the New Jersey boardwalk, and ran until his death in 1968, according to a comprehensive article by Jezebel.
Marmel relaunched the show in 1976 and the contest has been held every year since. This year's competition, which was to determine who would be Mrs. America 2019, was held in Las Vegas in August. It was won by Nicole Cook, of Illinois.
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