Savanna Hoffman
The University of Oklahoma has been at the centre of several controversies involving students engaging in racist behaviour, including blackface. In 2023, two students withdrew from the university after one appeared in a social media video wearing blackface and using a racial slur. The university has also faced criticism for its handling of racist incidents, with former students speaking out about their experiences of racism on campus and the university's lack of accountability. In response to these incidents, the OU Black Student Association has called for a zero-tolerance policy on hate speech and more diverse faculty and staff.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of students involved | 2 |
| Student type | Sorority student |
| Action taken | Voluntarily withdrawn from school |
| University President | James Gallogly |
| University response | Investigation |
| Student demands | Zero-tolerance policy on hate speech, more social and cultural classes, more multicultural faculty and staff, and additional financial assistance for African-Americans |
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What You'll Learn
- Two students withdrew from the University of Oklahoma after one appeared in a video wearing blackface
- The video was posted on social media and showed a female student using a racial slur
- The University of Oklahoma president, James Gallogly, condemned the video and confirmed the students would not return to campus
- The OU Black Student Association called for a zero-tolerance policy on hate speech and more support for African-American students
- The University of Oklahoma has faced previous incidents of racism, including a fraternity that was expelled in 2015 after members took part in a racist chant
Two students withdrew from the University of Oklahoma after one appeared in a video wearing blackface
In 2023, two students withdrew from the University of Oklahoma after one appeared in a video wearing blackface and using a racial slur. The video, originally posted on an OU student's Snapchat and later shared on Twitter, sparked outrage and prompted the university to address the incident.
In the video, a female student was seen wearing blackface and using the n-word to describe herself. The University of Oklahoma's president, James Gallogly, condemned the behaviour and confirmed that the students had voluntarily withdrawn from the school. He stated that “those students will not return to campus” and acknowledged the hurt caused by the incident, particularly to the university's students, faculty, and staff of colour.
The sorority from which the student involved was expelled also issued a statement, condemning the "racist, offensive, and disgraceful" behaviour and emphasising that it was not consistent with their organisation's ideals. London Moore, the president of the Theta Gamma chapter of Delta Delta Delta, apologised for the incident and confirmed that the student was no longer a member of their sorority.
This incident was not an isolated event, as the University of Oklahoma has faced previous reports of blackface on campus and racist incidents within its fraternities and sororities. In response, the OU Black Student Association has called for a zero-tolerance policy on hate speech and more diverse faculty and staff, among other initiatives to foster a more inclusive and respectful campus environment.
The University of Oklahoma has committed to listening to its community and working towards cultural change at every level. President Gallogly acknowledged the need for systemic change and expressed his support for the upcoming "Rally to Stop Racism" organised by the Black Student Association.
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The video was posted on social media and showed a female student using a racial slur
The University of Oklahoma has been embroiled in a recent controversy involving a racist video posted on social media. The video, which went viral, showed a female student wearing blackface and using a racial slur. The incident has caused outrage and prompted a strong response from the university community, with many calling for cultural change and a zero-tolerance policy on hate speech.
The video, originally posted on Snapchat by an OU student, was also shared in a tweet, gaining thousands of views. In the video, the student appears to describe herself using the n-word while wearing blackface. The racist content of the video sparked widespread condemnation, with many demanding accountability and cultural change within the university.
London Moore, the president of the Theta Gamma chapter of Delta Delta Delta sorority, to which the student belonged, swiftly condemned the behaviour displayed in the video. Moore described the content as "racist, offensive and disgraceful" and emphasised that it was "in no way consistent with Tri Delta's ideals". The sorority took immediate action, expelling the student responsible and offering an apology to those impacted by the incident.
University President James Gallogly also addressed the media, confirming that the two students involved in the video had voluntarily withdrawn from the school and would not be returning to campus. While acknowledging the video was recorded off-campus in a private setting, he emphasised that the university culture rejects such behaviour. Gallogly further reflected on the systemic issues underlying these incidents, recognising the need for cultural change at every level of the institution.
The OU Black Student Association has been at the forefront of demanding concrete action, calling for a zero-tolerance policy on hate speech and increased representation for multicultural faculty, staff, and students. They have also requested additional financial assistance for African-American students. The association's efforts reflect a broader push for racial equality and the eradication of racist incidents on campus.
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The University of Oklahoma president, James Gallogly, condemned the video and confirmed the students would not return to campus
The University of Oklahoma has been the site of several racist incidents, including a student wearing blackface on campus in 2019. In a more recent incident, two students withdrew from the university after one appeared in a video wearing blackface and using a racial slur. The video was originally posted on Snapchat by an OU student and was later posted on Twitter, receiving thousands of views.
The University of Oklahoma president, James Gallogly, addressed the media regarding the video, calling it racist and confirming that the students responsible had voluntarily withdrawn from the school and would not return to campus. "Those students will not return to campus," Gallogly stated during a news conference held in Norman to address the situation. He also acknowledged the impact of the incident on the university community, particularly those of colour, and expressed his commitment to listening to and working with students, faculty, and staff to foster cultural change.
In his statement, Gallogly emphasized that the video was recorded off-campus in a private setting and was not affiliated with any university activities. He acknowledged the legal boundaries in responding as a public university but condemned the behaviour, stating that it has no place at the University of Oklahoma or anywhere else. Gallogly also reflected on the systemic issues underlying such incidents and acknowledged the need for cultural change at the university.
The incident has sparked reactions from various groups within the university community. The OU Black Student Association has called for a zero-tolerance policy on hate speech and demanded additional social and cultural classes, more multicultural faculty and staff, and increased financial assistance for African-American students. The Theta Gamma chapter of Delta Delta Delta sorority, to which one of the students involved belonged, expelled the student and issued a statement condemning the behaviour as "racist, offensive, and disgraceful." The sorority president, London Moore, apologized for the incident and affirmed that it did not align with their organization's ideals.
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The OU Black Student Association called for a zero-tolerance policy on hate speech and more support for African-American students
In 2019, a racist video surfaced on social media in which a University of Oklahoma (OU) sorority student wore blackface and used a racial slur. The video, originally posted on Snapchat, was also posted on Twitter and garnered thousands of views. In response, the OU Black Student Association called for a zero-tolerance policy on hate speech and more support for African-American students. They demanded that the university increase the number of multicultural faculty and staff members and increase funding for African-American programs. The association's statement expressed that there is a "violent and painful history concerning the usage of blackface and reducing black people to racist caricatures". They also organised an on-campus "Rally to Stop Racism".
The two students responsible for the video voluntarily withdrew from the university and were expelled from their sorority. OU President James Gallogly condemned the behaviour and affirmed that "this type of racist video has no place here or anywhere else". He acknowledged the need for cultural change at the university and committed to transparency in addressing racism on campus.
While the OU Black Student Association's call for a zero-tolerance policy on hate speech is a step towards addressing racism, it is important to consider the potential impact of such policies on African-American students. Research has shown that zero-tolerance policies can disproportionately affect African-American students, leading to higher rates of suspension and incarceration compared to their white counterparts. For example, a federal study of the Chicago Public School system found that African-American boys represented 23% of the school-age population but 44% of students who were suspended and 61% of those expelled within a single school year.
In response to concerns about the effectiveness of zero-tolerance policies, the American Psychological Association formed a task force to investigate these practices. Their review concluded that zero-tolerance policies have failed to improve school climate or safety and can create more problems than they solve.
Therefore, while a zero-tolerance policy on hate speech is a necessary step towards creating a more inclusive and respectful campus environment, it should be implemented with careful consideration to avoid disproportionately harming the very students it aims to protect. The OU administration and the Black Student Association must work together to address the systemic issues that have led to repeated incidents of racism on campus and create sustainable solutions that foster a culture of diversity and respect.
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The University of Oklahoma has faced previous incidents of racism, including a fraternity that was expelled in 2015 after members took part in a racist chant
In 2025, a racist video surfaced on social media depicting a University of Oklahoma (OU) sorority student wearing blackface and using a racial slur. The video, originally posted on Snapchat, was also posted on Twitter, receiving thousands of views. The student responsible for the video, along with the student who filmed and posted it, voluntarily withdrew from the university. The president of the sorority chapter also condemned the incident and expelled the student involved.
This incident is not the first time the University of Oklahoma has faced issues with racism. In 2015, the university expelled two students for playing a leadership role in singing a racist song at a fraternity-linked event. The Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) fraternity was also shut down, and its members were forced to vacate the premises. The incident was captured on video and showed fraternity members singing a chant to the tune of a nursery rhyme with racist lyrics, including references to lynching and racial segregation. The video prompted protests from the Oklahoma Sooners college football team and calls for cultural change at the university.
The 2015 incident was not an isolated event, as SAE has a history of discriminatory incidents and strong Confederate ties. There have been reports of sexual assault by SAE members at other universities, and the fraternity's chapter at Arizona was suspended after physically assaulting and shouting racist slurs at members of a Jewish fraternity. The University of Oklahoma's president, David Boren, stated that there was "zero tolerance for this kind of threatening racist behavior," but some questioned the legality of the expulsions, citing potential violations of the students' First Amendment rights.
The University of Oklahoma has taken steps to address racism on campus, including severing ties with the fraternity involved in the 2015 incident and converting their former house into a community center. However, the recent blackface incident suggests that more work needs to be done to create a respectful and inclusive environment for all students.
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Frequently asked questions
Two students, one of whom was a sorority member, made a video featuring blackface and the N-word. The video was posted on Snapchat and Twitter and received thousands of views. The students involved have since voluntarily withdrawn from the university.
The university's president, James Gallogly, condemned the behaviour and confirmed that the students would not return to campus. He also acknowledged the need for cultural change at the university.
Students at the university were left furious over what they saw as toleration of racism. The OU Black Student Association called for a zero-tolerance policy on hate speech and additional support for African-American students.
The president of the Theta Gamma chapter of Delta Delta Delta, London Moore, expelled the student involved and condemned the "racist, offensive and disgraceful" behaviour seen in the video.
Yes, there have been several other incidents of racism on campus, including people wearing blackface and a fraternity that was shut down for making a racist chant in 2015.
