BSU Organizes Blackout to Support University of Missouri

By Kristen Griffith, The Whetstone

“Alright” by rapper Kendrick Lamar filled the College Center lobby while black shirts, hoodies and jackets formed a circle.

Students held signs chest-high: “BSU Wesley for Mizzou,” “Silence is not action,” “Does my blackness offend you?” and “Unapologetically black.”

“We have a voice, and we’re going to start using our voice in a positive way,” said Tiffany Griffin, senior BSU executive board member.

The Black Student Union organized a “Wear All Black” event in less than 12 hours on Nov. 5 to support fellow students at the University of Missouri who brought national attention to their college and their fight against systemic racism at the school.  President Timothy Wolfe resigned after protests and after the University of Missouri football team boycotted its games.

Dozens of BSU’s fliers were posted around the school (“Wesley College Black Student Union Stands For MU”) as well as social media the day before the event. It encouraged people to wear black and join them in the college center Nov. 5 at noon.

BSU president Evan Le’Mon opened the event.

“Incidents at Mizzou could happen anywhere,” he said. “Delaware is no exception.”

Le’Mon said he scrolled through the tweets of frightened black students at Missouri and asked himself how he would feel in that situation.

“I would want there to be national outrage for me and my friends,” he said.

Le’Mon said change can only happen if black people stick together.

“All of us, all across the country, have to start treating each other like brothers and sisters,” he said. “If you hurt one of us, you’re going to see solidarity from all of us.”

He said the Black Student Union has to stress the word “union” and take it seriously.

Griffin walked in the middle of the circle and addressed the crowd.

“You can only do so much, like posting on social media or voicing your opinion,” she said. “There comes a time when you just need to show some action.”

She said [BSU] could not let another incident of social injustice go by without showing support or expressing their feelings.

A few other students hopped in the circle and preached about their experiences of discrimination, and shared their opinions on how to create change.

Rose Porter said it is important to teach younger people about their culture.

“I have talks with my little cousin about what it means to be a black woman,” she said.

Donald Davis shared his own experience.

“Recently, I was pulled over for having my seatbelt on,” he said. “You know how humiliating that was?”

Sophomore Clara Pena said one of the things she noticed from the BSU event was the lack of many white students.

“You notice that a lot of the white people in the school aren’t supporting this because they aren’t affected by the issue, and that’s one of the biggest problems we have in the country,” she said.

Junior Shaq Richards said he noticed the diversity in the crowd.

“There was a bunch of students out here, not just black students, but white students, Spanish students, and I feel like it was good and informative,” he said.

He said people need to be more aware of what’s going on, and it could happen here.

“They talked about topics that needed to be discussed,” said junior Durus Mansaray.

He said racism still exists, even at Wesley.

Junior Jamor Thompson said he liked the fact everyone came together for a good cause.

“There’s a lot of stuff going on in our country that shouldn’t be going on,” he said. “People need to get past the history and continue on to the future.”

At the end of the event, the crowd of about 50 observed a moment of silence. Most raised their fists in the air.

The gathering ended in the amphitheater with group photos, Kendrick Lamar and students chanting, “We matter.”