Campus Racial Incidents

Black Lives Matter Banner Vandalized on the Campus of Susquehanna University

Black Lives Matter Banner Vandalized on the Campus of Susquehanna University

Campus police identified the person responsible for the vandalism. He was a Pennsylvania State University student who was visiting friends at Susquehanna. The student admitted to being intoxicated when the vandalism occurred.

University of Iowa Agrees to $4.2 Million Settlement of Racial Bias Lawsuit Filed by Football Players

University of Iowa Agrees to $4.2 Million Settlement of Racial Bias Lawsuit Filed by Football Players

The former players alleged that they were demeaned with racial slurs, forced to abandon Black hairstyles, fashion and culture to fit the “Iowa Way” promoted by Coach Kirk Ferentz, and then retaliated against for speaking out.

University of Missouri Decides Not to Discipline a Student Who Used a Racial Slur

University of Missouri Decides Not to Discipline a Student Who Used a Racial Slur

A student at the University of Missouri sent a message on social media to a friend speaking about the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. It stated: “If they would have killed 4 more n—– we would have had the whole week off.”

Tufts Received Bomb Threats Alleging Anti-White Racism by the University

Tufts Received Bomb Threats Alleging Anti-White Racism by the University

Officials at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts, received an email stating there were bombs in four locations on campus. The author of the expletive-laced email stated that “Tufts University continues to fuel anti-white racism in this country.” A second bomb threat was received the next day.

Black Student at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania Victimized in Racist Attack

Black Student at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania Victimized in Racist Attack

The Black student was walking on the street near campus when he was approached by two White males, according to police reports. The White men hurled racial slurs and then one of the attackers punched the Black student in the face.

White Student Yelling Racial Slurs Attacks Black Student Worker at the University of Kentucky

White Student Yelling Racial Slurs Attacks Black Student Worker at the University of Kentucky

A White student at the University of Kentucky was arrested for yelling racial slurs and attacking a Black student worker. The worker was punched several times, kicked in the stomach, and bit on the arm.

Several Racist Incidents Occur on the Campus of Grinnell College in Iowa

Several Racist Incidents Occur on the Campus of Grinnell College in Iowa

Racist and white supremacist graffiti was discovered on campus signs and vehicles. In addition, members of the college community had reported hearing racial slurs shouted from moving vehicles. The student newspaper reported that racist graffiti was found on 14 vehicles.

Noose Found on the Head of a Statue on the Campus of the University of Virginia

Noose Found on the Head of a Statue on the Campus of the University of Virginia

A noose was placed over the head of a statue of Homer on the campus of the University of Virginia. Video surveillance revealed that the noose was placed by a White male. Police collected other evidence at the scene but have not revealed further details.

Racist Banner Unfurled on an Overpass at the University of California, Davis

Racist Banner Unfurled on an Overpass at the University of California, Davis

Four white men wearing black clothing and masks displayed a banner over the Highway 113 bicycle overpass on the campus of the University of California, Davis that contained racist and antisemitic statements.

Ohio Supreme Court Refuses to Hear Appeal of $36 Million Judgment Against Oberlin College

Ohio Supreme Court Refuses to Hear Appeal of $36 Million Judgment Against Oberlin College

On a 4-3 vote, the justices of the Ohio Supreme Court voted not to hear an appeal of a case that awarded $36 million to the owners of a bakery who claimed they were defamed by statements from officials at Oberlin College after three Black students were arrested for theft.

Racist Incidents at the University of Utah

Racist Incidents at the University of Utah

Over the course of the past year, several racial incidents have occurred on the Salt Lake City campus. Recently, members of the campus community were subjected to racial slurs.

African American Volleyball Player for Duke University Subjected to Racial Slurs by Fan in Utah

African American Volleyball Player for Duke University Subjected to Racial Slurs by Fan in Utah

An African American volleyball player for Duke University was repeatedly heckled with a racial slur every time when went back to serve near the student section during a match against Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. When officials at the arena were told about the abuse, they did not act to end it in a timely matter and the racial abuse continued throughout the match.

University of North Carolina to Erect a Memorial for a Black Man Murdered on Campus in 1970

University of North Carolina to Erect a Memorial for a Black Man Murdered on Campus in 1970

On November 21, 1970, James L. Cates Jr., a 22-year-old Black man from the Chapel Hill community, was stabbed outside the Student Union on the campus of the University of North Carolina. He bled to death in the heart of campus though the hospital was just down the road.

Black Staffer at the University of Arkansas Files a Race Discrimination Lawsuit Over Unequal Pay

Black Staffer at the University of Arkansas Files a Race Discrimination Lawsuit Over Unequal Pay

Synetra Hughes, managing director of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion in the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas, has filed a federal lawsuit claiming that she was paid less than White colleagues in similar roles at the university.

Brian K. Mitchell Has Resigned from His Faculty Post at the University of Arkansas Little Rock

Brian K. Mitchell Has Resigned from His Faculty Post at the University of Arkansas Little Rock

Shortly after being granted tenure last year, Brian K. Mitchell, an associate professor of history at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, filed an employment discrimination lawsuit in federal court against the university. Now Dr. Mitchell has resigned from his faculty position.

Noose Found Hanging From a Tree on the Campus of Stanford University in California

Noose Found Hanging From a Tree on the Campus of Stanford University in California

Police are investigating the incident as a hate crime. It is the third time in the past three years that a noose had been found on the university’s campus.

Presbyterian College Has Expelled Four Students for Racist Behavior on Campus

Presbyterian College Has Expelled Four Students for Racist Behavior on Campus

Presbyterian College in Clinton, South Carolina, expelled four students and suspended another student for one year for an incident that included the racist and sexist harassment of the women’s lacrosse team from historically Black Howard University in Washington, D.C.

White Student at Middlebury College Charged With a Hate Crime

White Student at Middlebury College Charged With a Hate Crime

A White student at Middlebury College in Vermont reported to local police that he had been attacked by a group of Black students while he was walking across campus. It was later determined that the White student had allegedly been the aggressor and had assaulted a group of students after making racially charged statements to them.

Three Former Coaches at Highland Community College in Kansas Have Filed a Lawsuit

Three Former Coaches at Highland Community College in Kansas Have Filed a Lawsuit

The lawsuit alleges Highland administrators sought to discourage Blacks from attending the school, intimidated Black student-athletes into leaving, and told coaches not to recruit African Americans.

Racist Graffiti Found on the Campus of Curry College in Milton, Massachusetts

Racist Graffiti Found on the Campus of Curry College in Milton, Massachusetts

Racist graffiti was found in men’s restrooms in a residence hall and the athletic field house on the campus. Hateful graffiti including a swastika had been found on several occasions in the past month at the college.

Once Again, a Large Group of HBCUs Subjected to Bomb Threats

Once Again, a Large Group of HBCUs Subjected to Bomb Threats

Once again, multiple HBCUs received bomb threats on January 31 and February 1. Unlike the January 4 incidents when most students had not returned from winter break, the campuses were forced to halt classes and other activities due to the threats.

Student Expelled From a SUNY Campus After Posting a Racist Video

Student Expelled From a SUNY Campus After Posting a Racist Video

A student at the College of Environmental Science and Forestry of the State University of New York was expelled after he posted a racist video where he used a racial slur and threatened violence against African Americans.

Mural on the Campus of Washington University in St. Louis Is Defaced With Racist Graffiti

Mural on the Campus of Washington University in St. Louis Is Defaced With Racist Graffiti

A mural depicting several notable African Americans on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis was vandalized and defaced with racist graffiti. The faces of some of the African Americans were painted over and the name of a White supremacist group was painted on the mural.

Racist Incidents Reported on the Campus of the University of Utah

Racist Incidents Reported on the Campus of the University of Utah

People dressed up in Ku Klux Klan outfits were seen in a residential hall at the University of Utah trying to recruit students for a White supremacist group. In another incident, human excrement was found smeared on the dormitory room door of a Black student.

Racist Group Chat Among Sorority Members Exposed at the University of Alabama

Racist Group Chat Among Sorority Members Exposed at the University of Alabama

According to published reports, the president of Alpha Phi sorority wrote to group chat members, “I’m gonna yack, it smells so bad in here,” referring to the atmosphere in a local bar. Another member agreed, before another member wrote, “cigs, weed, and black girl.”

Hate Crime on the Campus of the University of Utah

Hate Crime on the Campus of the University of Utah

A university contractor was making a delivery to the loading dock at a residence hall on the campus of the University of Utah. Two students in a room above the loading dock shouted the N-word and threw sunflower seeds and coffee pods out the window at the individual below.

A Racial Incident on the Campus of Worcester State University in Massachusetts

A Racial Incident on the Campus of Worcester State University in Massachusetts

A racial slur directed against African Americans was found on a window of a common area in a  residence hall at Worcester State University in Massachusetts.

Hate Group Targets Campus of the University of Saint Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota

Hate Group Targets Campus of the University of Saint Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota

Posters and stickers referencing the Patriotfront, a known white supremacist group, were found attached to doors, signs, and posts at various locations on the campus of the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. 

Several Racist Incidents Occur at the University of Massachusetts Amherst

Several Racist Incidents Occur at the University of Massachusetts Amherst

Racist emails and online messages have recently been directed at Black students at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Also, it was reported that a motorist yelled a racist slur at a group of Black students on campus.

A Banana Was Taped to the Dorm Room Door of Two Black Students at Rhodes College in Memphis

A Banana Was Taped to the Dorm Room Door of Two Black Students at Rhodes College in Memphis

After a banana was taped to the door of two Black male students’ dorm room at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee, students at the college complained that the administration’s response to the incident was slow and not sufficient.

Professor Wins $375,000 Jury Verdict in Unlawful Retaliation Lawsuit

Professor Wins $375,000 Jury Verdict in Unlawful Retaliation Lawsuit

In 2014, Dr. Nicholas Alozie claims he was passed over for promotion as dean of the College of Letters and Sciences at Arizona State University due to the fact that he criticized the university’s hiring process and record on faculty diversity during his initial interview. A jury has awarded him $375,000, agreeing that Dr. Alozie was a victim of illegal retaliation. The university has vowed to fight the verdict.

Black Historian Files Discrimination Lawsuit Against the University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Black Historian Files Discrimination Lawsuit Against the University of Arkansas at Little Rock

The suit claims that “Dr. Brian Mitchell has experienced a nearly continuous pattern of discriminatory interference with achieving access to fair terms, conditions, and opportunities for advancement.”

University of Wisconsin-Madison Removes a Boulder That Was Offensive to Many on Campus

University of Wisconsin-Madison Removes a Boulder That Was Offensive to Many on Campus

The University of Wisconsin-Madison has removed a 70-ton boulder from the heart of campus. In 1925, the rock was removed from a campus construction site and placed near Washburn Observatory. The boulder became know as “niggerhead rock.”

Hate Crimes Continue to Plague College and University Campuses

Hate Crimes Continue to Plague College and University Campuses

In 2018, of the more than 34,000 criminal incidents that occurred on the campuses of postsecondary institutions and were reported to police or security agencies, 814 incidents were classified as hate crimes. Race was the motivating bias in 43 percent of reported hate crimes.

Racist Graffiti Found on the Campuses of Northern Kentucky and Kent State Universities

Racist Graffiti Found on the Campuses of Northern Kentucky and Kent State Universities

A mural on a rock at Northern Kentucky University that contained support for Black student organizations was vandalized with the logo of the Patriot Front, a White supremacist group, and the N-word was founded scrawled on a plague at Kent State University in Ohio.

Racist Hate Message Found on the Campus of Kansas State University

Racist Hate Message Found on the Campus of Kansas State University

The message displayed on a white board at the Multicultural Student Center asked “Why do you celebrate Black History Month?” The answers to this question found on February 26 during Black History Month said “What history?” and “Because it’s a joke.”