Matt James finally handed out his last rose, and surprisingly, it went to Rachael Kirkconnell, who was in the news recently after photos of her on a fraternity formula of the antebellum plantation theme re-emerged from 2018.
But during the ‘After the Rose’ ceremony, hosted by Emmanuel Acho, James said he broke up with Kirkconnell after the controversy.
“When I questioned our relationship, it was in the context that you did not fully understand my blackness and what it means to be a black man in America,” James told Kirkconnell during Monday’s delivery. “It broke my heart because this is the last conversation I thought we would have. I did not sign up to have this conversation.”
Kirkconnell then apologized, saying that she ‘lived in ignorance’ and ‘never once asked myself what the tradition is for this? What does it represent? ‘
‘I could have easily asked myself the questions. I never took the time to make the connection. ‘