Activist groups challenges Harvard over legacy admissions, claims it discriminates against Black students

MSNBC host Joy Reid stated that she attended Harvard through affirmative action while criticizing the Supreme Court decision that struck it down on Thursday.

An activist group filed a complaint challenging Harvard's legacy admissions Monday, arguing the practice discriminates against Black applicants.

The group, Lawyers for Civil Rights, claims that the practice of legacy admissions unfairly favors White applicants. The move comes days after the Supreme Court ruled that Harvard's race-based affirmative action practices were unconstitutional.

"Why are we rewarding children for privileges and advantages accrued by prior generations?" LCR executive director Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal said. "Your family’s last name and the size of your bank account are not a measure of merit, and should have no bearing on the college admissions process."

Harvard declined to comment on the development in a Monday statement.

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An activist group has filed a lawsuit challenging Harvard's legacy admissions Monday, arguing the practice discriminates against Black applicants. (Scott Eisen/Getty Images)

"Last week, the University reaffirmed its commitment to the fundamental principle that deep and transformative teaching, learning, and research depend upon a community comprising people of many backgrounds, perspectives, and lived experiences," the university said in a prepared statement. "As we said, in the weeks and months ahead, the University will determine how to preserve our essential values, consistent with the Court’s new precedent."

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LCR submitted the civil rights complaint