Photo surfaces of Bridgewater State student in blackface
A racial slur was written in text across the photo.
Bridgewater State University officials say they’re investigating after a photo surfaced of a white student in blackface — with a racial slur written across it — on the university’s mobile app Sunday night.“During this national crisis, when we are all coming together in solidarity to remind our country that black lives matter, such a message only exacerbates the pain and anger we are already feeling,” university President Frederick W. Clark Jr. said in a letter to the community dated Tuesday.In the photo, the white woman, who Clark did confirm is a student there but did not identify, is in blackface and is wearing a white headband with rabbit ears attached. “[N-word] bunny” is typed across the photo. The photo has appeared on multiple social media platforms, including Twitter and Instagram.“I want to express my gratitude to members of our community for alerting us to this racist post,” Clark wrote. “We heard your voices loud and clear. We have already been in contact with the student and the student’s family. Our Office of Community Standards and our Office of Equal Opportunity is investigating to verify the validity of all elements in the image, including the text, and will be addressing this matter promptly.”
— Bridgewater State University (@BridgeStateU) June 2, 2020
Just the day before, Clark had addressed the death of George Floyd, the Black man who was killed while in Minneapolis police custody last week, in a separate letter to the community. A forum was scheduled for Wednesday afternoon to talk about Floyd’s death, and the feelings people in the community may be experiencing.
“These past ten weeks have again exposed the deep structural inequalities that are tearing at the fabric of our nation – vast and growing inequalities of opportunity, of income and wealth, of access to education and healthcare, of equal protection under the law through the criminal justice system and of just treatment as human beings with inherent dignity and worth,” Clark wrote.
The murder of George Floyd has again exposed the horrendous racism and violent hatred enduring in America. We condemn this senseless killing of yet another black man.
Read President Clark’s statement on inequity, protests and our responsibility to be a catalyst for real change. pic.twitter.com/mZ03tUHTlp
— Bridgewater State University (@BridgeStateU) June 1, 2020
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