In Washington, the recent surfacing of photographs depicting a North Carolina judge in Confederate military attire has sparked controversy. This comes amid Judge Jefferson Griffin’s ongoing challenge to the results of a North Carolina Supreme Court election. As a Republican appellate judge, Griffin is seeking a seat on the state’s highest court, and these images have intensified scrutiny from both sides of the political spectrum. He is currently trailing the Democratic incumbent by over 700 votes and is disputing more than 60,000 ballots cast during the November election.
Griffin was a student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill between 1999 and 2003. During this period, he was part of the Kappa Alpha Order, one of the oldest fraternities in the United States, which has often been criticized for celebrating the antebellum South. The controversial photographs were taken at the fraternity’s “Old South” balls, where it was customary for members, including Griffin, to wear Confederate uniforms. Griffin has since expressed regret for his participation in these events, stating he did not understand their impact at the time.
As a college student, Griffin also served as president of his fraternity chapter in 2002. The group faced ongoing debates over traditions that included dressing in Confederate uniforms — practices that other chapters were already questioning. Griffin, however, opposed ending these customs during his time. He asserts that he would not engage with these traditions today, given his evolved perspective on cultural sensitivity and respect.
The fraternity itself has been at the center of numerous scandals over its representation of Confederate symbols. Kappa Alpha, which counts Confederate General Robert E. Lee as its spiritual founder, has long embraced the Southern “Lost Cause” narrative. Despite these associations, the fraternity’s national organization, headquartered in Virginia, insists on an educational approach to history, advocating for cultural humility while maintaining its historical identity.
The presence of Confederate motifs within Kappa Alpha chapters has fueled criticisms and led to formal apologies from public figures linked to the fraternity. Although the practice of wearing Confederate uniforms to fraternity events was banned by the national organization long after Griffin’s graduation, the delay highlights the tensions within college chapters and their traditional appeals.
Griffin’s connection to these images isn’t isolated. Other politicians have faced backlash for their college affiliations with Kappa Alpha and similar organizations. For instance, Virginia’s former governor Ralph Northam was criticized after a racist photo from his medical school yearbook surfaced. Similarly, Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves and Tennessee Governor Bill Lee have been pressed over their ties to the fraternity’s celebrations of the Old South.
The discussions surrounding these photos not only spotlight Griffin’s college practices but also add to a broader conversation around racial sensitivity and the representation of Southern heritage in modern political and social contexts. Despite the controversy, Griffin maintains he has evolved and committed to championing unity and respect for all communities.