Actress Ellie Kemper apologizes for participating in "racist" debutante ball

Actress Ellie Kemper has apologized for participating in a controversial ball when she was 19 years old. Photos of Kemper at the Veiled Prophet Ball recently resurfaced on social media, and people quickly criticized the St. Louis organization's "racist" past and connections to the white supremacy. 

"The century-old organization that hosted the debutante ball had an unquestionably racist, sexist, and elitist past," Kemper said in a statement posted on Instagram on Monday. "I was not aware of this history at the time, but ignorance is no excuse. I was old enough to have educated myself before getting involved." Kemper, who is best known for her comedic roles in "The Office" and the Netflix series "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt," was lambasted on social media when users recently brought up her participation in the ball. Kemper was crowned the "Queen of Love and Beauty" at the event in 1999, which was touted as a debutante celebration combined with the spirit of a Mardi Gras parade.