FOOTBALL: Read about the secrets surrounding Furman, p.5
HOMECOMING: Check out an interview with Karmin, p.3
Reveille The Daily
www.lsureveille.com
Friday, October 25, 2013 • Volume 118, Issue 44
Homecoming History Renee Boutte Myer made Tiger, civil rights history as LSU’s first black homecoming queen
Senator fears end of Black Caucus Camille Stelly Contributing Writer
MICHAEL TARVER · News Contributor
A
s Renee Boutte Myer accepted her homecoming crown, she smiled and waved to a silent audience who stared back at her with dropped jaws. Myer stepped into civil rights history in a pair of high heels when she became the University’s first AfricanAmerican homecoming queen. What separates Myer’s experience from other famous civil rights examples is that it did not happen in the distant past. She was crowned in 1991 – only 22 years ago, the same year many 2014 graduating seniors were born. Myer’s experience as an undergraduate was different than most students at the University. As a 22-yearold journalism senior, she became a symbol few could imagine. Though she was deeply involved on campus and HISTORY, see page 15
STUDENT GOVERNMENT
ANGELA MAJOR / The Daily Reveille
Renee Boutte Myer became the first African-American homecoming queen at LSU when she was crowned in 1991.
When Ashley Hebert brought a resolution to Student Government two years ago to establish a black caucus, she did not expect the resolution to spark the debate it did. “I never thought that trying to help the black community at LSU, I would face so much ignorance,” said the former senator and University alumna. “Until there are equal amounts of black students at this school, you cannot see there is no need for this caucus.” Some SG senators voiced opposition to the caucus, expressing worry that the black caucus system will racially segregate people and potentially fragmentize student government. Hebert, the lead author, even received death threats. Despite the intense debate, the resolution was enrolled on March 3, 2011. CAUCUS, see page 15
MANSHIP CENTENNIAL
Bernstein stresses basic ideas
Jonathan Olivier Contributing Writer
Journalism means something different today. In an age of partiality and preconceived notions, the news media need return to the “basic notions” that made American journalism great, Pulitzer Prize winner Carl Bernstein told Manship School students Thursday on the opening day of the school’s journalism program centennial.
Bernstein, who rose to fame at the Washington Post for his and Bob Woodward’s coverage of Watergate in the early 1970s, mingled informally with mass communication students in a question and answer session before speaking to a $50-a-plate public luncheon arranged by the Manship School. Those basic notions, Bernstein said, include common sense reporting that uses the “best obtainable version of the truth,” which, he said, guided him while
covering the Watergate scandal that ultimately led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon. “The press exists for the common good and we are losing sight of that,” he said. News organizations today claim impartiality but don’t use the basic notions while reporting, Bernstein charged. The result is biased content from publications and broadcast outlets that have ratings BERNSTEIN, see page 15
photo courtesy of RENEE PIERCE
Pulitzer-prize winning journalist Carl Bernstein speaks to students Thursday morning in Hodges Hall.