Clemson MLK Day Party Mocking Blacks Stirs Up Controversy
Party Held by Clemson University Students with Blackface and Forty Ounces Taped to Hands Comes Under Fire
Clemson University school officials only recently became aware of the controversial MLK Day Party this past weekend, stating that they've met with students who were offended by the images that were posted on Facebook.com, a social networking site.
Today more news organizations and blogs are picking up on images from the MLK Day Party attended by select students who are displayed holding forty ounce bottles of malt liquor that have been taped to their hands.
Other attendees of the now-infamous "Clemson MLK Day Party" are shown sporting sports gear, with one female who reportedly stuffed her backside with tissue to emulate the ample backsides of African-American women.
Students are also shown sporting "gold grills," a type of jewelry for the teeth.
These images have angered some of the roughly 1,100 black students that attend Clemson University. According to Clemson's website, approximately 17,000 undergraduates populate the entire school.
Clemson University president James Barker, in a letter to Clemson students and staff, noted that he "was appalled, angered and disappointed when I learned that a group of Clemson students participated in activities at an off-campus party that appeared to mock and disparage African Americans."
Barker added Tuesday that Clemson was investigating this so-dubbed Clemson MLK Day Party, of which he wrote, "Many people have been offended and deeply hurt."
"This is very appalling," said Jay Blakenship, president of the Kappa Gamma Gamma chapter of Omega Psi Phi. "It should be appalling to everybody really."
Clemson University spokeswoman Robin Denny said that the students responsible for the MLK Day Party did not intended to offend anyone and that they didn't realize it would. Denny reports that the party participants want to reach out to those who were offended by the photos and the event itself.
"I understand that many of the students involved in the party have come forward to apologize and reach out to those they have offended, and that is important and necessary. But more needs to be done," Barker said.
As a result of the racially-charged event, Clemson University officials continue to meet with students and a local fraternity has put together a meeting to discuss race relations.
"This is very appalling," said Jay Blakenship, president of the Kappa Gamma Gamma chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, a black-focused fraternity and the group organizing the Anderson meeting. "It should be appalling to everybody really."
Published by Paula Neal Mooney
Paula Neal Mooney has been published in various national magazines, such as Writer's Digest and other parenting publications. She has been writing online since 2005, and focuses on the areas of Christiani... View profile
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34 Comments
Post a CommentIt's interesting, when you're at the giving end , "its no big deal" "get over it" it was all in fun". when you are at the receiving end , its reality, you have to explain to your kids why they have to deal with racism daily, every event becomes a reality, whether at work or normal day to day events.
There were blacks at the party to see what was going on and they knew it was all in good humor and in the context of what was going on. To the person who thought the students should be expelled....THEY WERE NOT! nothing happened to them, because remember that thing called free speech:)
And honestly,"were never oppressed for 450 years by Black people so it in NO WAY holds the same meaning"
HOW LONG DO WE HAVE TO PAY FOR OUR ANCESTORS?!!!
Jena six, Megan Williams, Race parties... to quote Kanye West, "Racism's still alive, they just be concealing it." I guess sometimes the veil- the concealment- is compromised. Southern states vs. Northern ones is not the issue. I have no problem with Don Imus, Kramer, and the people who threw the race party. At least they identify their position. My problem is with the silent offenders- the people who continued to laugh at Kramer's outburst, the people who patronized an obviously racially offensive party. When you can't tell your two black friends where you are going Saturday after the game, you already know you're wrong. I don't care to crucify Don Imus for his "nappy" comment. His hair is nappy, too. My issue is with those who smile in black people's faces to hide their racism. You never know who they are or how they base their decisions about you. Suspicion is tiring and ignorance is debilitating. I'd rather just know.
Paula, this is a great blog, but it only shows one POV for t
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/402780/what_happened_to_my_dream.html
I'm assuming you're from somewhere in the Northeast, Ralph, but I could be wrong. . All you people from up north think you know exactly what it's like down here and you don't. I don't consider color a factor at all when deciding who is and who isn't my friend. I have a small group of close friends, and for you to say something like "if you can count on one hand" is really an inappropriate comment.
Campus may be cool, but try anywhere else in SC. And if u can actually count how many black people u hang out with on one hand, it does'nt really count.
I go to Clemson. All you blissfully liberal people that probably go to schools in the northeast or have never stepped foot below the Mason-Dixon Line should know that race relations here at Clemson do not involve hozing down black students. In fact, I would say that race relations are pretty decent from my two-year experience so far. I have my own group of friends that I hang out with of about 15 or so guys. Of this group two are black, yet we are great friends. One good thing about Clemson is that it is 60/40 Southern/Northern. All my northern friends without exception think that when they come down here that it's going to be racism central. They are always proven wrong about Clemson and I believe the south in general. I think that this MLK incident really gives the wrong impression of how race relations at Clemson are and the liberal media really wanted to play up how a very southern University is still sticking K-9's on blacks like in the Sixties.
If the Clemson students who attended this party wanted to 'celebrate' with an MLK party; a more productive and educated way to participate would be reading about and understanding the plight of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. As well as bridging the gap between races on campus and South Carolina.
THE QUEEN
Tiffany or any one else on here who thinks that party was ok is just as ignornat as the people throwing it. To throw a "gangsta" party is one thing but to put on a "BLACK FACE" is taking it to another level. Those student should be expelled.
Also for Tiffany. You cant compare 'White Chicks' to this. Rich White girls were never oppressed for 450 years by Black people so it in NO WAY holds the same meaning. Not to mention the fact that there are White people in the movie WITH Shawn and Marlon Wayans making fun of their ownimage. There are no Black people at this party to see what was going on. Lastly there was nothing detramentaly negative said about the girls portrayed in White Chicks when the people at this party are obviously projecting a negative image. The two are not the same. One is offensive and one is not.