Students at Claremont Colleges Unite in Wake of Racist Flyer

As they entered Honnold Library to study one day earlier this month, some students from the Claremont Colleges noticed a typewritten page tacked to a bulletin board. In the weeks since, almost everyone at the six colleges has become aware of--and alarmed by--the message contained on that paper and two identical flyers posted in the library.

Titled, “America’s Black Whores--1988 edition,” the flyer consisted of stridently defamatory depictions of prominent black figures, such as actresses Lena Horne and Robin Givens, pop stars Michael Jackson and Prince and Olympic gold medalist Florence Griffith Joyner.

“It strikes me as diabolical that someone could sit down and write such derogatory statements,” Bridget Daniels, a Pomona College freshman and member of the Black Student Union told more than 250 people at a rally to protest the flyer last week.

Consuella Lewis, dean of student affairs for the campuses’ office of black student affairs, called the flyer “probably the most repugnant thing that has ever been posted in public” at the colleges. “It was quite aggressive in its style and quite angry.”

Administrators quickly issued letters denouncing the flyers, which were only up a day or two before being torn down by angry students. But many at the colleges say their appearance was evidence of resurgent racism that has cropped up at campuses nationwide in recent years.

Increase in Attacks

“It’s clear to me that there’s been an increase in the number of attacks, physical and verbal, against minorities at universities around the country.’ said Samuel Yamashita, professor of history at Pomona College and a faculty sponsor for Asian-American student groups. “They’re occurring at places where these things never used to happen.”

The Claremont Colleges had been perceived as such a place, but in the wake of the flyer incident, minority student groups have charged that racism, whether explicit or subtle, is endemic at the predominately white campuses.

“There’s a lack of sensitivity at the colleges to minority concerns,” said Eric Anderson, a freshman at Pitzer College and chairman of a recently formed student subcommittee of the colleges’ Task Force on Racism. The subcommittee was formed this month in response to previous incidents and held its first meeting the day the flyers appeared.

Out of Proportion

Student leaders contacted said they shared the minority groups’ outrage over the flyer; some minority students said they have been told by other students they are blowing the matter out of proportion.

“A lot of students come up and say, ‘It’s only one flyer. What’s the big deal?’ ” said Eric Fortson, a Pomona College sophomore and member of the Black Student Union. “This is one overt incident, but a lot of us have to deal with the little things every day.”

Among other examples of racism brought to the attention of the task force this semester are incidents of racial epithets being directed at black students and written on dormitory doors. A swastika was also painted on the wall of a campus building, Lewis said.

To combat what they see as a dangerous trend, student groups have circulated petitions calling for increases in the enrollment of minority students and the hiring of minority faculty. More than 75% of the roughly 6,000 students at the six colleges are white, while 11% are Asian, 6% are Latino and less than 4% are black.

‘We’re Outnumbered’

“Someone came up to me and said he felt threatened by all these minority groups banding together,” Anderson said. “Now he knows how we feel. We need more minority students and more minority faculty because we’re outnumbered.”

Administrators contacted agreed that racial incidents are exacerbated when campuses have a relatively small number of minority students.

“These institutions, because they are overwhelmingly white, do have an atmosphere that does not feel as . . . reassuring to minorities as they might wish,” said Richard Fass, dean of students at Pomona College. “When (a racial incident) happens, the groups that are targeted feel very alone.”

Administrators contacted said the colleges vigorously pursue affirmative action policies in hiring and enrollment, and will continue seeking to increase minority representation in both areas.

“Our freshman class this year had 7.8% black and 13.4% Latino,” said Jack Stark, president of Claremont-McKenna College. “That was a better year than we’ve had in the past. We do work very hard at the recruiting of minority students, and our record is a good one.”

Although he decried the flyer as “vicious, racist and abhorrent,” Stark said he does not believe it signifies a problem on the campuses.

“There is absolutely no proof that it was posted by anyone from the Claremont Colleges,” Stark said. “If you read it, it does not read like something that was written by a college student.”

Students Unite

In the weeks since the flyers appeared, a wide array of student groups have joined to combat racism, sexism and homophobia under the banner of “power in diversity.” Last Friday’s rally featured 20 speakers representing blacks, Latinos, Asians, the disabled and religious groups.

Students and administrators have remarked that the unity of these groups is unprecedented at the colleges, and many see their rekindled activism as an unintended benefit of the controversial flyer.

“It has been the spark that has been able to light the fire,” said Helen Park, president of the Korean Students Assn. “We definitely don’t believe it would be wise on our part to let this die down. Having brought together all the minority groups, it’s important to continue the alliance.”