Two Students at Lee University Attend Party in Blackface

lee-universityTwo women students at Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee, attended a rap-themed dessert party wearing blackface and baggy white T-shirts. Photographs of the students in blackface were posted online, creating a controversy at the university. Blacks students make up about 6 percent of the 4,500-member undergraduate student body at Lee University.

The students apologized for their behavior, saying they did not consider that their actions might be seen as offensive to members of the campus community.

A university spokesperson issued a statement which read: “Recently two of our students behaved in a way that was not only profoundly regrettable, but also deeply hurtful to many people, including fellow classmates. Although we believe that their actions arose out of ignorance regarding the historical implications of blackface and not a willful intent to wound others, they nonetheless had that effect. We are confident that some difficult lessons have been learned as a result of these impulsive actions.”

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Get the JBHE Weekly Bulletin

Receive our weekly email newsletter delivered to your inbox

Latest News

Graduate Enrollment Surges at Winston-Salem State University

In fall 2024, Winston-Salem State University enrolled 244 new graduate students, an increase of 31.2 percent from the prior year. The HBCU now enrolls nearly 600 graduate students.

Two Black Women College Presidents Announce Their Retirements

Gilda Barbino, president of Olin College of Engineering, and Soraya Coley, president of Cal Poly, Pomona, have announced their plans to retire at the end of this academic year. Both Dr. Barbino and Dr. Coley are the first woman presidents of their institutions.

Norfolk State University to Construct a $118 Million STEM Facility

As part of an ongoing $90 million fundraising campaign, Norfolk State University has announced plans to establish a 131,000-square-foot STEM building to advance its research capabilities and science academic programming.

Two Black Men Selected for Academic Appointments at Universities

The faculty members with new appointments are Christopher Small at Florida State University and Dwight McBride at Washington University in St. Louis.

Featured Jobs