The campus we walk on everyday, stained with history, is whitewashed. When the students cheer for the Crimson Tide, they scream for the crimson and white not knowing, not understanding, not realizing the incongruity of their actions. These white students will readily cheer for Black football players, as long as they are winning. As long as they are producing the results these white students want to see. As long as they are putting their bodies on the line for the entertainment of these white students. When we look around our university, how much can we say things have changed? Has the system of slavery actually been demolished or merely transformed on our campus? Does the university not still "own" the black bodies of the football players? These players still have to answer to the university, albeit in a different way than the slaves who were rented out by UA.
In our readings this week we focused on whiteness. The power of whiteness is ever present on this campus. In some ways, UA is a microcosm of the U.S. Yes, we, like the U.S., have an African American president, but what does that actually say about how far we have come in our racial politics on campus? I'm sure you can talk to any minority student on campus, and they would say we haven't progressed as much as we would like to think.
This post is simply a chain of consciousness. As I was writing these thoughts just popped into my head, and I wanted to put them out there for you guys to respond to. What are your thoughts? Am I totally off target by saying these things?
This is a great response, Olivia! I, too, have friends at UA who have no idea the history behind UA. All they see are the unnecessarily giant mansions inhabited by privileged sorority women and men , mowed green grass, and the possibilities of winning football games and passing on the strip from underage drinking. The tours prospective students go on conveniently leave out a lot of UA’s. They do not talk about the slave quarters behind the President’s Mansion, or the fact that Nott Hall, where the Honors College is located practiced eugenics in the basement. They do not go into detail about the fact that UA sororities and fraternities were just desegregated two years ago or that students are learning corruption at an early age through questionable affiliations with secret societies. UA may try to hide their history of racism, sexism and violence, but they proudly display the names of confederate generals.
ReplyDeleteWomen and minorities struggle on a daily basis with micro-aggressions, erasure and the lack of diversity, both professors and students, in their academic departments and classrooms. They are continuously passed over for awards, opportunities to grow and gain leadership experience, and are constantly excluded from key circles of “influence” on campus.
We are DONE was a great first step, an Intercultural Diversity Center was opened, but is this going to fix the root of the problem? After the students leave who have been leading the charge in these efforts, who will be here to make sure they continue? Will UA go back to how it was my freshman year three years ago? 40 years ago? The accomplishments that have been achieved and momentum that has building up to this point make me wonder if it was worth it. I certainly hope so. I hope that after I graduate I will be able to see the students of UA working hard to bring about change; change that will be meaningful, impactful and continue push against the ingrained ideals and “traditions” of this University.
I agree with both of you guys. Being a young black woman at UA can often times make feel like I automatically have two strikes against me, but going on that tour makes me realize how far we have all come as a whole!
ReplyDeleteThis was my first time going on the race cognizant tour on campus and it was truly eye opening. I agree with both Olivia and Vel, a majority of our campus has no idea about this part of the University of Alabama's history. what bothered me the most about the tour was learning about Nott hall. When I learned that eugenics were practiced there and how medical experiments were performed there,primarily on Black people, this was very upsetting. Especially because Nott hall is home to the honors college, so where are best and brightest are supposedly held also holds this dirty secret. To me it just seems wrong. Personally I think every freshman should be required to take a University of Alabama History and cultural emersion seminar. in this seminar they can learn about about our university's true history and the diversity here on campus. I dont think it will solve all of our problems but I think it will help.
ReplyDeleteIn response to that last picture: "We are not done". The university still has a long way to go, but where do we start as a student body? and why does none of this progression matter until people like Elliot SPillers to run for SGA president, and the student body making sure he has a fair run. We as a student body don't face these issues until they are issues. Is it even possible to make right of our University. The issue of racism starts way before a student decides to attend the University of Alabama. People are taught ways of microagressions, so how do we really solve the issue if its beyond us?
ReplyDeleteI remember thinking about all of these points as we were doing the campus tour. Our school history is hidden and extremely whitewashed. I am not sure if i would have gone to this school had I known its history. I wish that we wouldn't white wash it, and be honest with our students about our school's history. I am a firm believer that in anything you do, there is no progress in comfort. I think that can also be used with the education of gender and race issues on this campus and even in this country. We may get uncomfortable learning about it, but it cannot be fixed or changed unless we know about it.
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