Janice Lozano
Bob Jones University is a private Christian institution that was established in 1927. The university barred the admission of Black students until 1971, citing Biblical principles regarding interracial marriage and dating. From 1971 to 1975, the university only admitted married Black students and continued to deny admission to applicants engaged in interracial relationships. The university's discriminatory policies sparked legal battles, including a landmark Supreme Court case, Bob Jones University v. United States in 1983, which ruled that religious schools could not use religious beliefs to justify racial discrimination and lose their tax-exempt status.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year Bob Jones University started allowing black students | 1971 |
| Year Bob Jones University started allowing unmarried black applicants | 1975 |
| Year Bob Jones University's tax-exempt status was revoked | 1976 |
| Year of the Bob Jones University v. United States Supreme Court decision | 1983 |
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What You'll Learn
Bob Jones University barred Black students until 1971
Bob Jones University, a private Christian institution, was established in 1927 by Evangelist Dr. Bob Jones Sr. with the primary goal of preserving the faith of students during their college years. However, the university's history has been marred by a dark past of racial discrimination, particularly against Black students.
Until 1971, Bob Jones University barred Black students from enrolling, claiming that the Bible prohibits interracial marriages. This policy of racial exclusion was not unique to Bob Jones University, as both public and private universities across the United States had similar practices during that era. Unfortunately, the university's discriminatory policies didn't end with the admission of Black students in 1971. From 1971 to 1975, the university only admitted Black students if they were married within their race. After 1975, unmarried Black applicants were allowed to enroll, but the university continued to deny admission to anyone involved in interracial relationships or advocating for interracial marriage or dating.
The university's stance on interracial relationships was not without consequence. In 1970, a District Court ruled that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) could not provide tax exemptions to universities that discriminate based on race in their admission processes. As a result, the IRS notified Bob Jones University that it would challenge their tax-exempt status. The university filed a lawsuit in 1971 to prevent the IRS from revoking this status, but ultimately lost the case. The IRS officially revoked the university's tax-exempt status on January 19, 1976.
Despite legal challenges and changing social norms, Bob Jones University stubbornly held on to its discriminatory policies. It wasn't until 2000 that the university's president, Bob Jones III, publicly acknowledged the wrongness of their previous policies and announced the lifting of the ban on interracial dating. However, even today, the university continues to face criticism and legal challenges for its discriminatory practices, particularly against LGBTQ+ students.
Bob Jones University's history serves as a stark reminder of the pervasive racial discrimination that was once commonplace in American higher education. While the university has taken some steps toward reconciliation, the impact of its past policies and the ongoing struggle for equality for all students remain important issues that the university continues to grapple with.
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From 1971 to 1975, only married Black students were admitted
Bob Jones University was established in 1927 as a private Christian institution. Until 1971, the university denied admission to Black students, claiming that the Bible prohibited interracial marriages.
From 1971 to 1975, Bob Jones University only admitted married Black students. During this period, the university maintained its policy of prohibiting interracial dating and intimacy, as well as advocating for interracial relationships. This was a result of their interpretation of Biblical principles. Despite changing their admission policy to include married Black students, the university continued to face criticism and legal challenges due to its discriminatory practices.
During these four years, the university's tax-exempt status was also under scrutiny. In 1970, a District Court ruled that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) could not provide tax exemptions to universities that discriminated based on race in their admission processes. As a result, the IRS notified Bob Jones University that it would challenge their tax-exempt status. The university filed a lawsuit in 1971 to block the IRS from revoking their status, but ultimately lost the case.
In 1975, the IRS again notified the university of the proposed revocation of its tax-exempt status. This was officially revoked on January 19, 1976. Despite the legal challenges and loss of tax-exempt status, Bob Jones University persisted in its discriminatory policies and practices.
It was not until 1983 that the United States Supreme Court ruled against religious schools discriminating on the basis of race, including Bob Jones University, stating that they were not eligible for tax-exempt status. Even after this ruling, the university maintained its ban on interracial dating until the year 2000.
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After 1975, unmarried Black applicants were allowed
Bob Jones University was established in 1927 as a private Christian institution. The university's early years were characterised by a segregationist ethos, and it barred the admission of Black students until 1971.
From 1971 to 1975, the university only admitted Black students if they were married within their race. This change in policy came about after a District Court found in 1970 that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) could not provide tax exemptions to universities that discriminated based on race in their admission processes. The IRS notified Bob Jones University that it would challenge the university's tax-exempt status per the District Court's ruling.
In response, Bob Jones University started admitting married Black students who were "married within their race". However, the university maintained its policy prohibiting interracial dating and intimacy and continued to deny admission to applicants engaged in an interracial marriage or known to advocate for interracial marriage or dating.
After 1975, the university began to admit unmarried Black applicants. However, it continued to impose a disciplinary rule that prohibited interracial dating. The IRS again notified the university on April 16, 1975, of the proposed revocation of its tax-exempt status, which was officially revoked on January 19, 1976.
In 1983, the United States Supreme Court ruled that religious schools discriminating on the basis of race were not eligible for tax-exempt status. Despite this ruling, Bob Jones University maintained its ban on interracial dating until 2000.
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The university lost its tax-exempt status in 1976
Bob Jones University was established in 1927 as a private Christian institution. The University's interpretation of Biblical principles regarding interracial marriage led to it barring the admission of Black students until 1971. From 1971 to 1975, the University only admitted Black students if they were married. It was only after 1975 that unmarried Black applicants were allowed to enroll, but the University continued to deny admission to applicants engaged in interracial marriage or those advocating for interracial marriage or dating.
The University's discriminatory policies resulted in the loss of its tax-exempt status in 1976. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) played a pivotal role in this process. In 1970, a District Court ruled that the IRS could not provide tax exemptions to universities that discriminated based on race in their admission processes. This ruling set the ball in motion for challenging the University's tax-exempt status.
The IRS notified Bob Jones University that, in line with the District Court's decision, it would contest the University's tax-exempt status. The University, however, did not back down and filed a lawsuit in 1971 to prevent the IRS from revoking this status. Initially, the District Court ruled in favour of the University, stating that the IRS did not have the authority to revoke the status.
However, this decision was overturned by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, which found that the IRS did have the statutory power to revoke the tax-exempt status and that there was no violation of the First Amendment. The case eventually reached the Supreme Court, which, in 1983, upheld the Fourth Circuit's decision. The Supreme Court ruled that the IRS could revoke the University's tax-exempt status because the University's practices were contrary to the compelling government public policy of eradicating racial discrimination.
As a result of these legal battles, the University officially lost its tax-exempt status on January 19, 1976. This loss of status meant that the University had to pay taxes, such as unemployment taxes, which it had previously been exempt from. Despite this setback, the University continued to defend its discriminatory policies, citing religious beliefs and interpretations of the Bible.
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Bob Jones III apologised for the university's previous racial policies in 2000
Bob Jones University, a private Christian institution, has existed since 1927. For almost two centuries, American Christianity, including the university in its early years, was characterised by the segregationist ethos of American culture. The university's interpretation of Biblical principles regarding interracial dating led to it completely excluding Black applicants until 1971. From 1971 until 1975, Black students were admitted only if they were married.
In 2000, Bob Jones III, the then president of the university, apologised for these previous racial policies on national television. He acknowledged that the university was wrong in not admitting African-American students before 1971, a practice that was common among both public and private universities at the time. Jones also announced the lifting of the university's ban on interracial dating. He expressed profound sorrow for the institutional policies that caused racial hurt and affirmed the university's desire to exhibit a truly Christ-like spirit and biblical position.
The university's discriminatory practices had earlier led to legal challenges. In 1970, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) notified Bob Jones University of the planned revocation of its tax-exempt status due to racially discriminatory admissions policies. This sparked a series of legal battles, culminating in the 1983 Supreme Court ruling in Bob Jones University v. United States. The Court upheld the IRS's authority to revoke the tax-exempt status of religious universities whose practices contradict compelling government public policy, such as eradicating racial discrimination. Despite this ruling, Bob Jones University maintained its ban on interracial dating until 2000.
In his apology, Bob Jones III recognised that the university had allowed its institutional policies to be shaped more by the segregationist ethos of American culture than by Scriptural principles. He emphasised that Scripture teaches the human race was created as one, with the potential for great diversity. This diversity, sustained by God, is intended to incline mankind toward seeking the Lord and depending on Him for salvation. Jones acknowledged that the university had failed to represent Christ accurately and fulfil the commandment to love others as ourselves.
The apology and the lifting of the ban on interracial dating marked a significant shift for Bob Jones University, demonstrating a desire to align its policies with biblical teachings of unity and love, rather than discriminatory cultural norms.
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Frequently asked questions
Bob Jones University started allowing married Black students in 1971, as long as they were "married within their race". From 1975 onwards, the university began to admit unmarried Black applicants.
Yes, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) revoked the university's tax-exempt status in 1976. The university had initially sued the IRS in 1971 to block the move, but the Supreme Court upheld the IRS's decision in 1983.
In 2000, Bob Jones III, the university's president, stated on national television that the university was wrong to not admit African-American students before 1971.
