"Black face" off-limits in Knoxville
 

Knoxville News-Sentinel
October 26, 2002

UT investigating fraternity after students paint faces black

By Bryan Mitchell , News-Sentinel staff writer

Campus authorities are investigating a University of Tennessee
fraternity after allegations surfaced earlier this week that a small
group of students painted their skin black for a fraternity
competition.

The incident is being investigated by UT Vice Provost Tim Rogers who
said the Kappa Sigma fraternity allegedly painted their skin black in
order to appear like the Jackson Five.

"That conduct is patently offensive and grossly insensitive at best,"
Rogers said.

A number of black students complained to campus officials on
Wednesday after the students walked from their fraternity house to a
party on the Cumberland Avenue Strip dressed as the 1970s musical act.

The party was an "air guitar" competition that was staged by the
fraternity at R.T.'s Warehouse.

The black students "took offense to that depiction," Rogers said.

Rogers said the incident is particularly troubling in light of
sensitivity training and other programs held on campus in recent
years.

He also points to the recent completion of a multi-million dollar
Black Cultural Center as a positive move the university has made to
build a diverse student body.

"Whether it is attributed to insensitivity, ignorance or intolerance,
this type of behavior is an insult and embarrassment to our
African-American students as well as to people of all races at UT who
are working diligently to improve campus diversity and who have made
real progress toward that goal," Rogers said in a statement to the
media Thursday.

Rogers said an investigation into the incident is continuing and that
the university is trying to forge a dialogue between the members of
the fraternity and those offended by the stunt.

It is unclear if any punishment will be levied against the
fraternity, which refused to comment.

"We are continuing our discussion with the fraternity's local and
national leadership to inform them that this type of behavior is
unacceptable," Rogers said. "We will address this incident and take
all appropriate action to avoid similar occurrences in the future."

Copyright 2002, Knoxville News-Sentinel Co.