MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Memphis woman attending Middle Tennessee State University says she is disappointed after finding a racial slur on her dorm room door last Friday.
Kristin Blake said the offensive n-word was written on a whiteboard below a Gossip Girl meme and a large banner she and her roommate put up to celebrate Black History Month.
“At first, I thought it was a joke. I thought it was one of our friends who was just joking around — one of our black friends, specifically,” said Blake. “We called them, and they were like, what are you talking about? Then we realized it was a serious issue.”
Blake said they reported it to their residential advisor, who contacted MTSU police. According to MTSU, Housing and Residential Life, MTSU Police, and other campus administrators have been working with the impacted students since they became aware of the issue.
A picture of the racial slur has been shared across social media by those outraged by what happened.
Blake, a Freshman at MTSU, said this sort of outward hatred is something she is not used to but has been prepared to deal with at college.
“We were talking about black culture, which makes some people uncomfortable. We just didn’t realize the extent that some people would express that discomfort or hatred they were feeling,” Blake said. “I do have to be cognizant as a black woman racism is still alive and well and that it didn’t just disappear.”
In a statement, University President Sidney McPhee said it was a reprehensible act at any time, but it is especially despicable as the campus celebrates Black History Month.
McPhee said the behavior undermines the university’s values and ideals as a university community and has no place on campus.
Blake said she was grateful for the way the Murfreesboro school handled the situation.
“They are taking it very seriously, and that was really important to me,” said Blake. “We’ve been working with MTPD to give them all the info we can, but it is going to be very difficult because there are no cameras, and this isn’t something people fess up to doing.”
The university is asking anyone with information about this incident to call MTSU Police at 615-898-2424.