The Wheel received several letters in response to an incident where a student, possibly a Georgia State alum, was seen around Emory’s campus wearing blackface for a Halloween costume. Here are the students who wrote in with their concerns.

To the editor:

In light of the recent pictures circulating on LearnLink of a Emory student dressed in “blackface” for Halloween, it is important to let the community know that this is not an acceptable costume on Halloween, or any time of the year.

Blackface is a style of costume that is used to make someone appear African-American or black. This is usually done by rubbing dark makeup all over the skin, donning a wooly hair wig and wearing clothes considered to be stereotypically black clothing.

This is offensive because the blackface costume began in 1828 as a way to depict a racist archetype of African-Americans in numerous performances, everything from “minstrel shows” to movies. The actors in blackface portrayed African-Americans as unintelligent, uneducated, lazy, superstitious, buffoonish, cowardly, lascivious and thieving.

Blackface was used to reinforce negative perceptions of African-Americans worldwide, which is why it is still associated with racism and bigotry by the African-American community. Even if it did not have this history, it is a blatant form of mockery and it reinforces stereotypes of African-Americans.

Looking at the pictures, it is clear that the student thought that what it means to be “Black” is to have an afro, wear a Sean John shirt, and roll one of your pant legs up. This is not what it means to be black, and the generalizations and blackface need to stop.

Carolyn Cole
Class of 2009
All Mixed Up co-president

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To the editor:

This is my sixth year at Emory as a graduate student, and once again we’ve seen an emergence of the Halloween tradition of students wearing blackface. This has occurred every year since I've been here. What usually happens afterwards is an initial flurry of outrage, a few hollow promises of change and ultimately no action whatsoever.

Since University President James W. Wagner deemed the Horowitz incident important enough to write a campus-wide letter, I'm going assume that this awful incident is important enough to warrant a) an enormous apology from him; b) repercussions for the offending students; and c) deliberate action to make sure that this never happens again.

As a student of color, I've had enough of the town hall meetings, debates on race that Wagner doesn't attend, meals and reading groups structured around "diversity" and "harmony." Instead, how about taking concrete steps to make sure that the students of color on campus feel safe? How about actually doing something about these terribly racist incidents? Now, that would be a real change.

Andy Lowry
Doctoral Candidate, Women’s Studies Dept.

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To the editor:

During this past week’s Halloween celebrations some individuals decided it was amusing to dress up in blackface. That is a disgusting and racist gesture, and one that is not acceptable.

It’s sad that people can be so ignorant at a school like Emory, and continue to do things that are unintelligent and openly offensive. I have been informed that this is not the first year individuals have seen this as a funny Halloween costume.

This is especially insensitive considering the recent events in Jena, Louisiana and other racial injustices that have occurred in our country. We should be moving forward instead of stooping to ignorant and childish gestures. I believe this is an issue that should be made known to the Emory community and shunned as wrong.

Margaux Deja
Class of 2010

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To the editor:


I would like to bring attention to a particular event within in the Emory community. Within the past week, a particularly offensive picture has surfaced on Facebook, one that saddens and shocks me. For Halloween a student donned blackface and dressed up as an African-American student.

I am shocked that something so offensive could still take place in our present society, and I am also saddened because it is an indication of how far we still have to go. While Emory is a place of higher learning, there is clearly still much ignorance on an individual level.

I hope that this particular student has never been educated on the offensive nature of blackface, but that is still no excuse. I pray that many more members of the Emory community come forward and express their disgust with this incident. We need to send the message that Emory does not turn a blind eye to racist acts.

Lindsay Stuart
Class of 2009

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To the editor:

I'm writing as a concerned African American student on Emory's campus. I've recently come across pictures of a student who found it acceptable to dress up in blackface for his Halloween costume. This practice was reprehensible 70 years ago, and is even moreso now.

What makes it worse is that this is my second year on campus, and I can recall a similar incident happening last year. It's a shame that this young man was so misinformed as to think that caricaturizing a race as a costume is an acceptable practice.

But I think it'd be more of a shame if the school's administration did not take any action in ensuring that these things do not ever happen again. The school prides itself on promoting individual rights and freedom of speech, as evidenced by the President's letter condemning those that jeered David Horowitz.

That said, equal attention should be paid to the rights of minority students to live and learn in an environment free from discrimination and bigotry. This student's actions are unacceptable, and the school should adopt a strict set of standards to ensure this never happens again. Agreement through silence is not an acceptable strategy.

Christopher Johnson
Class of 2010

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To the editor:

Happy Halloween? I recently came across some pictures of a student dressed in "blackface" for Halloween. I must admit that I wasn't offended by the pictures simply because ignorance cannot be cured.

However, some have the right to be offended. Clearly if a student dressed up as a Nazi, some are bound to be offended. This would be true regardless of how "innocently funny" the student thought it would be. A problem lies in the fact that "people" tend to be insensitive to other cultures and ethnicities.

If anyone is puzzled as to why African Americans seem so easily offended by "innocent pranks", then clearly they need to brush up on some American history.

Crystal Lane
Graduate Student

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To the editor:

This letter is for the editor and the general public that reads The Emory Wheel. In this day and time it is beyond me to believe that individuals still don't understand the offensive nature of dressing in blackface whether during Halloween, Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, Valentine's Day or any day of any week of any month in the year.

It is never acceptable and there is no excuse for a student to dress up in blackface here at Emory. It is more than extremely offensive and is a slap in the face insult to me and other African American students here at Emory and abroad. This problem continues to happen and something must be done about it. Administration on some level needs to put measures and consequences in place to do their best at stopping it. I am not sure what the consequences are for acts such as this but I would consider this a hate crime. Whether it was meant to be a joke or genuinely offensive, it's not funny and must stop.

These students should be firmly disciplined which may include expulsion from school. And if you think that this incident is not racial I am here to tell you that it is and it is because it historically represents the mockery of African Americans. For any suggestions or additional comments I would love to be part of a discussion or team that leads the charge to curb incidents such as this or any other infractions that deal with race relations or racial issues.

Shaun Caldwell
First Year MBA Student

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To the editor:

As an Emory alum, I wish to express my deep concern upon learning through Internet sources of yet another incident of blackface costumes during Halloween on Emory's campus.

I am an African American professor who is proud of the doctoral training that I received as a student in Emory's Women's Studies program. As such, I expect an effective response of anti-racism from Emory's leadership to address the racist climate on its campus.

When another of my alma mater, Teachers College at Columbia University, recently dealt with a noose incident on its campus, the leadership's response was swift and supportive of antiracist efforts. I will be waiting to hear what my other alma mater, Emory, will now do in the wake of its own racial incident.

I hope this university will not disappoint me.

Janell Hobson
Assistant Professor
University at Albany, SUNY