The Associated Press issued an apology after its “Thought for Today” daily feature included a comment made by former Confederate States of America President Jefferson Davis.
“Never be haughty to the humble; never be humble to the haughty,” Davis said, which was included as the feature’s “Thought for Today” on June 3, Davis’s birth date.
“We are embarrassed that this happened and we apologize,” a spokesperson for the Associated Press said, according to the New York Times.
As part of a daily feature called “Today in History,” the outlet supplies newspapers across the country with historical and trivial events that took place on the date in question, along with the birthdays of famous people. At the end of each feature, the “Thought for Today” appears, which could be an anonymous proverb or a quotation from a historical figure.
The debacle is the latest in a series that have occurred in newsrooms throughout the country regarding diversity within their offices and how they cover race after the death of George Floyd, a black man who was died after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck. Protests following the incident have sought to raise awareness about police brutality and systemic racial injustice.
The New York Times and Philadelphia Inquirer notably had upper management staffers resign from their posts amid backlash over coverage related to the demonstrations, while the Wall Street Journal had more than 100 reporters sign a complaint sent to the head of the outlet about newsroom diversity and race coverage.
Additionally, Confederate buildings and monuments have been targets among those seeking change.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for the removal of nearly a dozen Confederate statues from the halls of Congress, while protesters have toppled monuments dedicated to Confederate leaders across the nation.
