15 December 2011

Revisiting Race at Emerson College

taliawhyte WGBH college, diversity, Emerson College, Lee Pelton, race relations, racism

I recently had a chance to go back to my alma mater Emerson College to speak to some current students of color about the state of race relations on campus.  The four students in the video are executive board members of Emerson’s Black Organization with Natural Interests (EBONI).  In recent years, the school has been plagued with accusations of subtle racism and lacking racial diversity among its faculty and student body.

A couple of years ago, two black professors accused Emerson of denying them tenure because of their race.  Up until that time, Emerson College had only granted tenure to just three black professors in its 129-year history.   There have also been many claims by students of color over the years that they didn’t feel welcomed by their white counterparts on campus.

Watch the video here