Discrimination Protests on Campus
Over the years of the George Mason Univeristy establishment, there have been many protests and critques involving racism towards the students. Including events of blackface, harrassment, and community racism. Many discussions and events have been organized against the discrimination, including Jesse Jackson coming to the George Mason Campus to promote education and voting.
In February of 1992, the African American Literary Consortium rallied together to sponsor an event regarding relentless racism on the George Mason Campus. Over 100 students approached the administration to express their disappointment. The catalyst for this event was when a freshman, Kimberley Futrell, had called the police regarding a racially charged phone call from an individual, calling the student names, and asking racially charged questions. Afterwards, Futrell called the Mason Police, who did not respond in a timely manner, according to the Broadside article. After this incident students on campus held a silent vigil, this 100 person rally was a continuation of this vigil.
This event is only one of many, where the doors and cars of minority students were coated in shaving cream, and various on campus events that caused mass discomfort for the minority students on campus. To make matters worse, Jerry Smith, an organizer of the rally, stated that the restaurants in the area had previously not allowed him to dine due to his race.
Later in the year, on April 2, 1992, Jesse Jackson attended George Mason to speak at the “Rally Against Racism”, sponsored by SCAR, the Student Coalition Against Apartheid and Racism. Jackson speaks on the importance of SCAR and how education and community can be used to form coalitions that unite individuals and promote solutions rather than arguments, and how these ideas are supported by Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X beliefs. Dennis Webster, an advisor to SCAR, adds that “this program is a celebration and commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X.” Later, the co-presidents of SCAR speak on what the goal is, to educate and better the view of the university. They continue to speak on the idea of forming coalitions in order to better support students in facing adversity. Many other student leaders at George Mason expressed their experiences and troubles facing racism throughout their childhood and through their college experience thus far. Jackson ended by saying that “we need to raise beyond our fears and become better people,” then inviting students and individuals present to register to vote near the front of the podium, emphasizing the right to change the system by working together.
Mason continues to be a place for protesting against anti-black discrimination and racism. While, in more recent years these protests have shifted from commentary towards the Mason student body and faculty and more towards larger issues within the United States. In 2007, students rallied on the Quad to raise money for the Jena 6. These 6 were a group of black teenagers who were unjustly charged with attempted murder after a series of racist events occurring at their high school including the hanging of nooses under a tree.