Watch CBS News

Report Tells Of Sexual Assault, Racism At The Virginia Military Institute

LEXINGTON CITY, Va. (AP) -- A state-sanctioned report says the Virginia Military Institute has tolerated and failed to address institutional racism and sexism and must be held accountable for making changes.

The report was put together by an independent law firm and released Tuesday by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam and other state officials ordered an investigation after The Washington Post reported that Black cadets and alumni faced "relentless racism."

The state-sanctioned report says racist slurs and jokes are not uncommon and that sexual assault is prevalent yet inadequately addressed. VMI was founded in 1839 and is the nation's oldest state-supported military college. It didn't accept African Americans until 1968 or women until the 1990s.

(© Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.