Yohuru Williams, founding director of St. Thomas’ Racial Justice Initiative, joins TommieMedia’s Emily Haugen to discuss the initiative’s mission and the climate at St. Thomas.
In Depth with Yohuru Williams – Nov. 19, 2020
St. Thomas alumni: Administration must ‘dismantle’ racism on campus
The past 20 years of St. Thomas alumni are being represented in a letter to administration outlining demands relating to the Action Plan to Combat Racism. University Affairs Editor Abby Sliva has the story.
After racial profiling incident on St. Thomas shuttle, Dougherty Family College students take action
Two St. Thomas students in hijabs were singled out and asked for their student IDs before entering a campus shuttle on Wednesday, prompting a response from the Dougherty Family College dean and the suspension of the driver.
St. Thomas community gathers to reclaim Ireland Hall, protest racial slur incident
More than 200 students, faculty and staff gathered in Koch Commons Thursday night for a “BE-In” event to reclaim the space of Ireland Hall after a racial slur was found in one of its bathrooms. The event was followed by a peaceful protest in front of the men’s dormitory.
St. Thomas community responds to another incident, rejects racism
The campus gathered Thursday afternoon to declare St. Thomas as an anti-racist community, following the discovery Wednesday night of a racial slur in Ireland Hall.
Racist word found in St. Thomas dormitory bathroom
For the second time in a year, a racist word has been found in a dormitory on the St. Thomas campus.
St. Thomas community gathers for action plan town hall
The St. Thomas community gathered to talk with administrators about the university’s action plan to combat racism on March 6 in the Anderson Student Center’s Dorsey Commons.
TommieMedia seeks student opinions on racism at St. Thomas
The St. Thomas community has experienced hate crimes, protests and multiple conversations about racism at our school. We wish to provide a platform for any St. Thomas student to be heard.
Administration responds to photos of blackface in archives
St. Thomas administrators released a statement calling for “teachable moments” after TommieMedia published a story about photos of blackface and racist events found in The Aquin newspaper and Aquinas yearbook.
Pages from history show St. Thomas’ legacy of racism
Students have unearthed photos of blackface in The Aquin Newspaper and Aquinas Yearbook online archives. TommieMedia confirmed at least two photos of blackface dated 1948 and 1951, in addition to a photo of a “Slave-Master” costume contest in 1979.
Community meets in first step of anti-racism action plan
One of the largest crowds in St. Thomas history gathered to discuss a collective commitment to a new action plan to combat racism at the university Wednesday afternoon in the field house of the Anderson Athletic and Recreation Complex. All afternoon classes were canceled in order for students, staff and faculty to attend.
St. Thomas community denounces racism with sit-in
Hundreds of community members filled the Anderson Student Center Thursday afternoon at St. Thomas as part of a sit-in protest organized by the Black Empowerment Student Alliance. Chief Story Editor Solveig Rennan and Video Editor Charlie Siddons documented the event.
Letter to the Editor: Administration must do more to combat on-campus racism
MacGroveland neighborhood resident Anne Brandrud calls on university administration to follow up on the protocol for hate crimes. She argues that a lack of concrete action could discourage future students of all races from attending St. Thomas.
OPINION: Sullivan’s racism reaction is repeated word for word
Opinions editor Sam Miner argues that President Julie Sullivan uses identical sentences in her responses to campus racial slur incidents, and that the university should do more to address the issues.
Students protest racism at liberal arts college in Minnesota
One black student, Samantha Wells, found an anonymous note on her car windshield Saturday calling her a racial slur.