Blacks mimicked; race relations questioned

CLEMSON, SC — Pictures posted on the Internet of a party showing white students dressed to mimic stereotypes of black people is bringing Clemson University unwanted attention.

In the aftermath of the event, Clemson University officials are meeting with students. A local fraternity has organized a meeting in Anderson about race relations.

“This is very appalling,” said Jay Blakenship, president of the Kappa Gamma Gamma chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, a black-focused fraternity and the group organizing the Anderson meeting. “It should be appalling to everybody really.”

Pictures reportedly posted on Facebook, a social networking Internet site, show white Clemson students at a party in fake gang apparel.

A student is pictured with his body covered in black paint.

Students also are shown drinking what appears to be malt liquor. One female appears in the photos to have padded her buttocks.

University officials said Monday they became aware of the party over this past weekend. They said they met with students who were at the party and those who were offended by pictures posted of it on the Internet. According to WYFF 4 reports, school officials said some of the students who threw the party approached them in an effort to make things right once they heard people criticizing the party.

No official university student group — or fraternity or sorority — held the party, school officials said.