Delta State (in Mississippi): NPC Chapter and Blackface Incident
 

At Delta State (in Misissippi) the chapter of Kappa Delta has been ordered to apologize for a blackface incident.

". . . an incident during Homecoming where a white member dressed up in "black face" to portray Whoopi Goldberg in a musical number from the movie "Sister Act."

The Bolivar Commercial reports (http://bit.ly/17P8K0Z ) that the theme of the week was "Delta Blues Homecoming" and . . . the students participated in different activities, including a lip sync contest . . . ."

See

http://www.whlt.com/story/23904212/s...state-sorority

I don't know whether anything more will happen as a followup to the incident.

Aren't things like lip-sync entries for Homecoming typically practiced, practiced, and practiced again? I mean, it seems highly unlikely that this was just some sorority sister who on the spur of the moment decided to do this, right?

See also for a little bit more:
http://www.wmctv.com/story/23900342/...us-performance

...and people wonder why some NPC chapters in the South have a hard time recruiting women of color.

I find it interesting that they decided to do this even though they have at least one African American member. Not to typecast her or anything, but you would think they might use the members they have before resorting to this dumb idea.

From what I've read, it's more that the NPC chapters in the south don't want the women of color; not that they have a hard time recruiting them.

I just can't believe that there are still people out there who haven't gotten the memo that blackface just. isn't. done.

At my university, who had a long-standing Lip Sync tradition, we were required to submit the script and soundtrack a week or two weeks in advance, and do a dress rehearsal in front of the homecoming committee the night before the final event. At either of those points, we could be told that something had to be changed due to being inappropriate. Its entirely possible that they may not have these provisions, but if they did... well, that just takes it to a whole new level.

That requires the people doing the review know that blackface is inappropriate. That also requires that the members don't lie to the reviewers or add the blackface without their knowledge.

This is all just a reminder that people can be dumb and inconsiderate. Whenever people scoff at official policies and regulations, I remind them that official policies and regulations exist because humans typically suck at restricting ourselves.

*facepalm*

I don't even know what to say.

People know what they are doing. I can't imagine an authentic apology.

This doesn't surprise me a bit. Not one bit, not two, not three...not four...