Gov. Kay Ivey apologized today for a racist college skit she chuckled about on the radio 52 years ago.

The apology was not enough for some African American officials. The Alabama NAACP called on Ivey to resign, saying the expression of remorse does not erase her participation in “activities that mocked and intimidated African Americans.”

“It may have been 52 years ago when the skit happened, but it apparently still shapes who she is today,” Alabama NAACP President Benard Simelton said in a statement. “She refused to meet with the NAACP two years ago to discuss race relations in Alabama. She has not taken steps to expand Medicaid in Alabama, she gladly signed bills to protect one of the most racist American symbols, the Confederate flag and monuments."

Asked to respond to calls for the governor’s resignation, Ivey Press Secretary Gina Maiola said in an email: “The governor’s commitment to serve the state is unchanged and unwavering.”

Some African American lawmakers who know Ivey from her long political career accepted the governor’s statement that she deeply regretted wearing blackface and crawling around in a skit called “cigar butts” when she was a senior at Auburn University in 1967.

Others were not ready to accept the apology and said Ivey should resign.

“It is not acceptable any time or place,” Rep. John Rogers, D-Birmingham, said. “Do us a favor and step down.”

The governor’s office released Ivey’s apology through a statement and a video Thursday afternoon.

Rep. Juandalynn Givan, D-Birmingham, said Ivey should have apologized in person.

“I don’t care if it was 52 years ago or yesterday,” Givan said. “She is the governor of the state of Alabama, which is still considered one of the most racist states in the U.S. This is who she was then. It is who she is now. I have nothing for her. I don’t accept her apology. She should have stood before the people of Alabama herself.”

“She should resign. I don’t think she should have been elected, and I think she is a racist.”

Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin called on Ivey to do more than apologize.

“Blackface is a horrible stigmatization of the black experience, a practice with roots that are planted firmly in our nation’s racist past,” Woodfin said in a statement. “Gov. Ivey, an apology is the right place to start, but that’s not enough. Not when you serve in the seventh most black state in America.

“Admitting wrongdoing is the first step toward growth. But it cannot end there. Gov. Ivey, I urge you to continue that healing process by reaching out to the black communities you serve, hearing their needs and making transformational investments in opportunities for black residents who have been disproportionately and systematically disenfranchised."

Sen. Vivian Davis Figures, D-Mobile, said she accepted Ivey’s apology.

“I was very saddened to hear that Governor Ivey had participated in a black face skit in college," Figures said in a statement. "I didn’t know her then, but I have had the opportunity to serve with her as Presiding Officer over the Senate as Lt. Governor and as Governor over the last 10 years. While she and I have disagreed on many issues over the years, I would have to say that she has never led me to believe that she is a racist.

"If this state can forgive a man like George C. Wallace and re-elect him Governor after all of the racist things he did as Governor, I would hope that we can forgive this woman who participated in a black face skit while she was in college over 50 years ago. I accept her apology and look forward to working with her to move Alabama forward.”

Along with the apologies, Ivey’s office released audio of the 1967 interview on the Auburn student radio station when she and her then-fiancé, Ben LaRavia, talked and joked about the skit. LaRavia indicated that the crowd at the Baptist Student Union party thought it was hilarious.

LaRavia said Ivey was dressed in blue coveralls and had black paint all over her face for the performance.

“It did not require a lot of talent as far as verbal talent but it did require a lot of physical acting such as crawling around on the floor looking for cigar butts and things like this,” LaRavia said. “It certainly got a big reaction out of the audience.”

The interviewer asked Ivey: “Would you like to defend yourself from this low position that he has placed you in?”

Ivey laughed and said, “Well, that was just my role for the evening.”

In today’s statement, Ivey said she didn’t remember the skit but does not question that it happened.

“I have now been made aware of a taped interview that my then-fiance, Ben LaRavia, and I gave to the Auburn student radio station back when I was SGA Vice President.

“Even after listening to the tape, I sincerely do not recall either the skit, which evidently occurred at a Baptist Student Union party, or the interview itself, both which occurred 52-years ago. Even though Ben is the one on tape remembering the skit – and I still don’t recall ever dressing up in overalls or in blackface – I will not deny what is the obvious.

“As such, I fully acknowledge – with genuine remorse – my participation in a skit like that back when I was a senior in college.

“While some may attempt to excuse this as acceptable behavior for a college student during the mid-1960s, that is not who I am today, and it is not what my Administration represents all these years later.

“I offer my heartfelt apologies for the pain and embarrassment this causes, and I will do all I can – going forward – to help show the nation that the Alabama of today is a far cry from the Alabama of the 1960s. We have come a long way, for sure, but we still have a long way to go.”

The recording of the radio interview was discovered during an Auburn University project to digitize old media, the Montgomery Advertiser reported.

Ivey Press Secretary Gina Maiola told the Advertiser that the administration learned of the video Tuesday night and the governor heard it for the first time Wednesday morning.

Auburn University notified the governor after discovering the interview.

“Archives in the Auburn Libraries contain significant historical information of interest to researchers, students and the general public,” the university said in a statement. “Libraries staff are systematically digitizing archives data and posting them online, making them fully accessible to the public. The reel-to-reel containing the interview with the governor is part of that process. University officials provided a courtesy notification to the governor’s office once we learned about the interview.”

Ivey and her staff reached out to some black lawmakers before releasing the apologies today.

House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels, D-Birmingham, said he spoke briefly with Ivey and heard her apology.

“Her participation in that racist skit is inexcusable and I strongly condemn her actions,” Daniels said in a text message. “That said, I asked the governor if she would give me an opportunity to more thoroughly review the tapes and her public comments and have a more in-depth, in-person discussion about the matter next week. Gov. Ivey agreed, and we will have that meeting early next week. I am going to withhold additional comment until I have an opportunity to better review the situation and to speak in person with the governor.”

Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, said he had talked to Ivey today and believed her apology was heartfelt.

“First of all, I appreciate the governor for at least stepping out as it came to her attention and being willing to make an apology ahead of the story,” Singleton said.

“While this is something that could be painful for those of us in the African-American community, as someone who has worked with the governor and as lieutenant governor and who has built a working relationship with her, I am not apt to hold her totally responsible for something that happened 52 years ago.”

Singleton and other senators know Ivey from the more than six years that she presided over the Senate as lieutenant governor. She became governor in April 2017 when Robert Bentley resigned amid a scandal and was elected to a full term last year.

“Hopefully this can open up a dialogue for race relations in the state of Alabama and the governor can help lead that,” Singleton said.

State Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham, said Ivey’s chief of staff, Jo Bonner, called him.

“I accept her apology and I really think that is all she can do,” Smitherman said. “My opinion on things like that is your actions will show where your heart is. That will show what kind of person she is.”

Smitherman said Ivey had been responsive to concerns about diversity on boards and agencies.

“I think it is very unfortunate that it happened,” Smitherman said.

State Rep. Barbara Drummond, D-Mobile, said that she hopes Ivey can use the scandal as a “teachable moment.”

“It is time for us to move Alabama forward and for the governor to take the lead on initiatives to help us,” Drummond said. She said she would like to see Ivey take a lead on initiatives to improve programs supportive of minority entrepreneurs and on improving health care for all residents in the state.

“I hope she uses this as a teachable moment to show the rest of the world that this is not who she is today and that she will move forward on issues to improve lives, and to show us that we are not the Alabama of the past, we are the Alabama of the future,” Drummond said.

Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh, R-Anniston, said people should accept Ivey’s apology.

“Governor Ivey has expressed her deepest apologies for this incident," Marsh said. "I have worked with her in various capacities over the previous decade and I know that today she is not a person who would participate in something like that. I hope we as a state can put this behind us.”

Alabama Republican Party Chair Terry Lathan said in a statement: "The Alabama Republican Party appreciates and supports Governor Kay Ivey taking ownership of and responsibility for this 50 plus year old incident. While it occurred when she was a college student, Governor Ivey has stood up, admitted her mistake and offered a sincere apology though she has no recollection of the event. Her extraordinary record of public service shows her ability to work with all people regardless of race, religion or party affiliation. We stand with Governor Ivey uniting our state for a greater future.”

Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth’s office has not responded to a request for comment.

AL.com reporters John Archibald, Kyle Whitmire, John Sharp, Anna Beahm, Paul Gattis and others contributed to this report.