Simone Manuel deserves to be honored for becoming the first Black American woman to win an individual swimming event at the Olympics. However, one newspaper decided to tarnish her historical moment by failing to mention her name and only focusing on her race. Moments after Manuel made history, the San Jose Mercury News published her story with the headline, “Olympics: Michael Phelps shares historic night with African-American.”
It’s unaccetpable for an editor at a major publication to allow such a headline to be published. The headline reveals how the editors at newsooms across the nation are majority white and often lack the ability to appropriately confront issues of race.
The disgusting headline was immediately blasted by those on social media.
Mercury News’ headline about Simone Manuel is equivalent to Donald Trump asking “Where’s my African-American?” ????
— Karen Datangel (@DatKaren) August 12, 2016
The San Jose Mercury News flap with Simone Manuel was stupid. And ridiculously preventable and unnecessary. — That Guy (@TarH2O23) August 12, 2016
The Mercury News later deleted the headline from social media and apologized for the racist statement. However, the apology could not reverse the damage done by the offensive statement.
@mercnews Apologize? Why did you write it in the first place? NO ONE in that newsroom thought it was wrong? Straight BS.
— Valencia (@VeeeKaaay) August 12, 2016
@mercnews And that was AFTER you demeaned her in your now-deleted tweet. Stop acting as if female athletes need male athletes for context. — Txnewsprincess (@txnewsprincess) August 12, 2016
@mercnews Let me help with tomorrow’s headline: “Michael Phelps totally embarrassed by patronising, crap local newspaper.”
— DóC (@DOCasBAC) August 12, 2016
