Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves responds to college pictures controversy

JACKSON, Miss. (WCBI) – Lt. Governor Tate Reeves responded to controversy Friday.

In an article published by Huffington Post, pictures show Millsaps College Kappa Alpha fraternity members dressed in costumes with painted faces and Confederate flags during Reeves’ time at Millsaps.

Several chapters of Kappa Alpha have faced criticism because of their ties to Civil War heritage and Confederate-themed parties.

A 1995 Kappa Alpha yearbook page shows fraternity members in military uniforms with a Confederate flag. It is unclear if Reeves is in the picture, but he was a fraternity member at the time.

In response, the Lt. Governor’s office released this statement to our sister station in Jackson:

“As a quick Google search will show, Lt. Gov. Reeves was a member of Kappa Alpha Order. Like every other college student, he did attend costume formals and other parties, and across America, Kappa Alpha’s costume formal is traditionally called Old South, in honor of the Civil War veteran, who founded the fraternity in the 1800s.”

According to the Huffington Post, the pictures were given to the publication by the Democratic Super PAC American Bridge.