ST. LOUIS (AP) 鈥� Actress Ellie Kemper has apologized for participating in a debutante ball hosted by a St. Louis organization that she now says had 鈥渁n unquestionably racist, sexist and elitist past.鈥�
The 41-year-old St. Louis native and star of TV's 鈥淯nbreakable Kimmy Schmidt鈥� was criticized on Twitter after it was revealed that when she was 19, she was named 鈥淨ueen of Love and Beauty鈥� at St. Louis' Veiled Prophet Ball.
The Veiled Prophet Organization dates to the late 1800s. It didn鈥檛 allow Black members until 1979. Daughters of many prominent St. Louis families have held the same title as Kemper, whose family founded Commerce Bancshares.
Kemper, who rose to fame on TV's 鈥淭he Office,鈥� said on Instagram that she was unaware at the time of the history of the Veiled Prophet, but 鈥渋gnorance is no excuse.鈥�
The Veiled Prophet Organization put out its own statement saying it 鈥渁cknowledges our past and recognizes the criticism levied our way.鈥� The statement said that the organization today 鈥渞ejects racism, in any form.鈥�
The Associated Press
