White Students at the University of Florida Attend Frat Party in Blackface

It seems that each Halloween there are stories of college students dressing up in blackface to attend costume parties. This year is no exception.

A Halloween party with the theme “Rockers and Rappers” was held at an off-campus fraternity house near the University of Florida. Photographs were posted on the Internet the next day of two white students at the party in blackface wearing sagging pants, gold chains, and baseball caps .

The students who wore the costumes, the president of the local fraternity, and the national fraternity all issued apologies. The students admitted that it was “a very ignorant and poor decision,” claiming that they did not know the racist history of blackface minstrelsy. In their statement, the students said, “At no point in time were ever trying to negatively portray African American stereotypes. We have since learned about the history of blackface and fully understand how our actions were insulting to the African American community.”

University of Florida President Bernie Machen issued a statement saying, “Demeaning any race is intolerable and completely counter to the welcoming and inclusive environment that the University of Florida had created for its broadly diverse community.”

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Get the JBHE Weekly Bulletin

Receive our weekly email newsletter delivered to your inbox

Latest News

California State University Sacramento Launches Black Honors College

Officially launching for the fall 2024 semester, the Black Honors College will support students from all backgrounds who study Black history, life, and culture by providing them with a specialized curriculum and mentoring opportunities.

Higher Education Gifts or Grants of Interest to African Americans

Here is this week’s news of grants or gifts to historically Black colleges and universities or for programs of particular interest to African Americans in higher education.

In Memoriam: Norman B. Anderson, 1955-2024

Dr. Anderson was the assistant vice president for research and academic affairs at Florida State University at the time of his death. He had an extensive career in clinical psychology, which led him to become the first African American chief executive officer of the American Psychological Association.

Georgia State University Launches Program to Support Black Women in Tech

While Black women account for roughly 29 percent of the Georgia State University undergradaute student body, they represent only 10 percent of the university's computer science majors and 18 percent of the computer information systems majors.

Featured Jobs