PINE BLUFF -- The Pine Bluff branch of the NAACP is joining the city's mayor and at least one alderman in condemning another alderman who they say intentionally used a racial slur online.
Alderman Bill Brumett, who is white, and Pine Bluff resident J.C. Cunningham, who is black, were arguing back and forth about city issues on a public-access Facebook forum when Brumett said he became agitated that Cunningham kept misspelling his name.
Out of frustration, Brumett said he decided to intentionally misspell Cunningham's name and typed "Cooninham." But he said he meant to type "Cuuningham."
In a written statement about the incident, the alderman said typing "coon" was unintentional. The word has a long history as a racial epithet.
Brumett's statement read, in part: "After I became aware that Mr. Cunningham is an African American, and after consideration of the implications of what I wrote, despite the fact that I never intended to make any racial statement, I decided that it would be in the best interests of all concerned for me to make a public apology to Mr. Cunningham, in writing, in the same venue as the original comment. I have made that apology to Mr. Cunningham on Facebook and electronically to Mr. Cunningham."
A number for Cunningham could not be located, and a message left for Wanda Neal, president of the Pine Bluff branch of the NAACP, was not immediately returned.
The NAACP branch has planned a news conference for noon today at the city's Civic Center complex.
Pine Bluff Mayor Debe Hollingsworth, who is white, weighed in on the issue Monday in a written statement.
The mayor wrote: "The City of Pine Bluff does not need this! As a city, we are currently perched in a fragile position where our economic growth, job creation, and our image within our state are on the rise. The last thing that we need at this point in our corporate redevelopment of this great city would be for racism, fueled by this incident, to begin to define us as a city."
The mayor continued: "Both parties have been in touch with each other on multiple occasions and an apology has been offered for the inappropriate actions by Alderman Brumett. It is my hope for our City that this exchange will be deemed as adequate, we can learn from these mistakes, and we can move past this incident to continue the positive momentum that we currently enjoy."
Pine Bluff's population of about 50,000 is more than 70 percent black. Brumett is the only white member on the eight-person City Council and is the body's longest-serving member, having taken office in 1996.
Pine Bluff Alderman Thelma Walker said Monday that she wants Brumett to resign, calling him a "racist."
"There really is no other option, because if he doesn't resign, protests will continue," Walker said. "What he did is unacceptable. And I do believe he did it on purpose."
Alderman Steven Mays said he plans to bring up the issue when the City Council meets Monday. Until then, he said he is reserving any judgment.
"I want to find out more about this before I comment," Mays said. "There will be extensive discussion at the next council meeting. I will make my comments then."
State Desk on 03/31/2015