For the past several days, a somber support message addressed to students attending the University of Missouri has been making its way across Facebook:
“To the students of color at Mizzou, we, student allies at (school name), stand with you in solidarity. To those who would threaten their sense of safety, we are watching.
#ConcernedStudent1950 #InSolidarityWithMizzou”
The message was written in regards to the mounting racial tensions on campus that have garnered intense media attention over the course of several weeks. While the controversy has only recently come to the national forefront, it actually began two months ago when a group of unidentified students directed a racial slur at Missouri Students Association President Payton Head as they drove by.
Since that fateful incident in September, an activist organization dubbed Concerned Student 1950 has been peacefully protesting on campus. The organization’s name pays homage to the first year that the University of Missouri admitted a black student. Not long after Payton Head was discriminated against, another incident involving a racial slur occurred; this time, it was aimed at students involved with the Legion of Black Collegians, a student government group. The perpetrator was an allegedly intoxicated white student.
In an attempt to quell the burgeoning unease, Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin issued various anti-racist statements and arranged for mandatory diversity and inclusion training to be implemented in 2016 for all faculty and students. In an open letter printed in the school newspaper, student leader Jonathan Butler voiced his appreciation for Loftin’s recognition of the campus-wide dilemma, but criticized it as not being enough of an effort to combat the university’s prevalent race issues.
On the night of Homecoming, October 10, the Legion confronted the university’s president, Tim Wolfe, who refused to address the incident. Wolfe’s blatant dismissal of their concerns prompted the activist group to organize “Racism Lives Here” rallies, among other public demonstrations. Concerned Student 1950 believes that the university administration has allowed racism to develop and fester on campus, free from any consequences.
The protests gained traction on the second of November when student leader Jonathan Butler announced that he was going on a hunger strike until Wolfe stepped down from his position. Five days later, the football team issued a powerful statement: they would not be participating in any practices or games until the demands of the protestors were met. With the threat of millions of dollars of lost revenue hanging over their heads, both Wolfe and Loftin resigned the next day.
Unfortunately, the resignations did not have the intended effect of hindering racism on campus; if anything, they only stoked the flames. The next day, several frightening threats were made on the anonymous posting app known as Yik Yak by nineteen-year old Hunter M. Park, a student at Mizzou’s sister campus. In a style echoing the posts made before the Umpqua Community College shooting last month, Park wrote that he would “stand [his] ground tomorrow and shoot every black person [he sees].” In another post, he wrote “Some of you are alright. Don’t go to campus tomorrow.” While Park was successfully apprehended and arrested, his messages struck fear into the hearts of black Mizzou students and staff.
The racial tensions that are currently plaguing the University of Missouri are made more frightening when you realize that they could happen anywhere. The idea of white supremacy continuing to exist in this day and age is bewildering. While most people believe that the Civil Rights Movement ended decades ago, that notion is now being thrown into question. Fortunately, however, a large number of Bucknell students dressed in all black last week in a show of solidarity for the Mizzou protesters. The path to ending racism is a long and treacherous road, but every step towards unity makes a difference.
Sources:
http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/09/us/missouri-protest-timeline/