Petition Launched To Abolish Birmingham Belles

BIRMINGHAM, AL — Each year for more than half a century, hundreds of teenagers in the Birmingham suburbs dress up in Antebellum gowns at the Arlington Historical House and Gardens to participate in Birmingham Belles, a service organization for high school girls. But one former participant of the event has launched a petition to end the tradition, citing its reference to slavery.

Emily Owen Mendelsohn says in her change.org petition that "It has come to my attention that I took part in an organization that is racist and harmful to black people: BIRMINGHAM BELLES."

She adds, "The fact that it is acceptable for 100+ young, southern women to dress up in antebellum regalia at Arlington House, a former PLANTATION home, is appalling. While volunteer work is a noble cause, Birmingham Belles needs to be seen for what it really is: an excuse for white women to "play plantation" for a day. Yes, this hurts and it is the truth. Birmingham Belles is a performance that glorifies the antebellum lifestyle which in turn silently glorifies the SLAVERY that took place on plantations. This is unacceptable."

Mendelsohn posted her petition to Facebook, and already has more than 1,000 signatures, with a goal of 1,500.

Girls who are invited to participate in Birmingham Belles put in hours of service work around the city, including work at the Birmingham Zoo, Mountain Brook Art Association Art Show, Mountain Brook Christmas Parade, Big Oak Ranch and Birmingham Museum of Art, among others.

Other similar organizations exist in the area as well, including Vestavia Belles and Hoover Belles, but Mendelsohn's petition only specifies an end to the Birmingham Belles, the oldest of the organizations.

Mendelsohn's effort is not necessarily new, as other organizations that once used a glorification of the Old South as a celebratory theme stopped doing so, including the Kappa Alpha Order fraternity, which annually held an "Old South" party that included college students dressed in Confederate greys and hoop skirts.

The University of Alabama has banned campus parties that include potentially offensive costumes or themes. An Alabama Media Group report said the KA spring formal were to be called "Rose Ball" instead of "Old South."