Kappa Alpha Psi, a predominantly Black fraternity, crowned Rachael Malonson as their Miss Black University of Texas this past Sunday but unfortunately the joy was short lived after she was criticized for not being “Black enough.”
Malonson says she was excited at first about the win and claims she almost didn’t submit to the competition because of her mixed race.
“It was definitely a huge honor to win. As a biracial woman, I didn’t even think I was able to place,” she told Fox News.
Congratulations to our 2017 Miss Black University of Texas! We thank our lovely contestants, as well as everyone else who came to support!👌🏽 pic.twitter.com/yEva52wpSp
— Iota Delta NUPEs (@ID_NUPEs) May 2, 2017
Unfortunately for Rachael her worse fears about her race would become the talk of the school after her pageant victory. Even though Rachael’s father is African American, many still didn’t feel as though it was fair that she won the award since she’s only half Black. Social media critics trolled and claimed that she was “too light-skinned” and “not Black enough.”
https://twitter.com/oddneekah_/status/859586163128102912
https://twitter.com/nue_york/status/859962223912996864
So this must be her mom pic.twitter.com/0QCpXOJJt6
— guapwest6000 (@iHateCeeWest) May 3, 2017
https://twitter.com/ThisisCandiceR/status/860265692515508224
https://twitter.com/lolo9012a/status/860238560892465152
she's clearly the lightest, damn near white looking "black woman" & she won over the others. quit playing dumb guys. it looks sketchy
— ✨manii milan✨ (@_ColeWorldShwty) May 3, 2017
https://twitter.com/_JRPR_/status/859802561628561408
https://twitter.com/_Denice27/status/859618200065105920“I didn’t realize that even after I received the title I would still have to explain myself, that there was still ignorant people out there who are asking me to prove myself,” the 22-year-old Senior Broadcasting and Journalism major said. “Just because I have straight hair and olive skin tone doesn’t mean I’m not black…I don’t have to look a certain way to be black.”
Well, even though ignorance still does love on social media, Rachael says many school mates did come to her defense.
“Sunday, my sister Rachel Malonson competed in and won the Miss Black UT Scholarship Pageant. I am very proud of her and this great accomplishment but she has not been able to enjoy this moment. Since she has won the pageant there has been numerous comments concerning whether she is Black because of her skin tone and hair type. It sickens me that members of our Black community would attack their own because she is biracial(black). Our father is Black and hateful comments that question her race discredit our father and other Black fathers and black mothers who have biracial (black) children. Instead of hating each other, we should unite and uplift each other. The only way our Black community can become stronger is if we support and love one another rather than tear each other down. Other communities will support us if they see that we stand united. It starts with US. We need to stand united instead hating each other based on our appearance.” #united #mysister #bigbrother#missblackut #united #gregorymalonson#love #startswithyou #strength#rachaelmalonson
As for now, everything seems to be calming down but Rachael does hope that this dialogue does spark a teaching moment.
“I remember I felt so insecure because people didn’t understand who I was by my look,” Malonson said. “I’m confident in it now and see it as a unique trait where I’m able to teach people that not every black person (and) not every mixed person looks the same way.”
