The University of Alabama Department of Student Life permanently suspended Nineteen Fifty-Six and Alice Magazine, two University-funded student magazines, effective Monday, citing a federal memo issued by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi in July.
“It is so disheartening to know that so many of us have put so much hard work into these magazines that are now being censored,” said Gabrielle Gunter, Editor-in-Chief of Alice Magazine. “Alice is what got me into journalism, and it breaks my heart that there will no longer be spaces like Alice and Nineteen Fifty-Six where students can learn to create beautiful, diverse magazines that honor all types of identities.”
Kendal Wright, Editor-in-Chief of Nineteen Fifty-Six, said she was “deeply saddened” by her publication’s suspension.
“This publication has cultivated incredibly talented and budding Black student journalists and brought our community on campus together in such a beautiful way,” Wright said.
Bondi’s memo to federal agencies provided “non-binding suggestions” to help federal funds recipients comply with antidiscrimination laws. One recommendation concerned “unlawful proxies,” or intentionally using “ostensibly neutral criteria that function as substitutes for explicit consideration of race, sex, or other protected characteristics.” Neutral criteria mentioned included “cultural competence” and “lived experience.”
Launched in November 2015, Alice Magazine is a fashion and wellness magazine that primarily covers women. Nineteen Fifty-Six, which debuted in September 2020, covers Black student life and culture. Both publications publish print editions in the spring and fall semesters, though their most recent fall 2025 editions will be their last.
Steven Hood, vice president of student life, told the staff of each magazine on Monday night that because the magazines target primarily specific groups, they are “unlawful proxies.”
Neither magazine barred participation based on personal characteristics like race or gender identity, and both had hired staff who were not part of their target audiences.
Hood said that the University made the decision and had not been spurred by a complaint about the magazines.
In a statement Tuesday, a University spokesperson said the University is required to “ensure all members of our community feel welcome to participate in programs that receive University funding from the Office of Student Media.”
The spokesperson said the University could not continue to fund the magazines “under the compliance landscape,” adding that students’ First Amendment rights “remain fully intact” and the University “will never restrict our students’ freedom of expression.”
“Staff hope to work with students to develop a new publication that features a variety of voices and perspectives to debut in the next academic year,” the spokesperson said. The University will fund the new publication and continue funding other student media.
A petition was created on MoveOn calling on the University to reinstate Alice and Nineteen Fifty-Six, calling their suspension a “direct attack on free speech.”
“It is imperative that we remain steadfast and recognize that our voices and stories cannot be silenced,” Wright said. “Not by any ruling, not by any memo and not by anybody.”
Editor’s note: This story was updated Monday night to correct an error. Wright’s first name is “Kendal,” not “Kendall.”
