By Vincent DiFonzo, Editor-in-Chief
On Friday, March 14, the College received a racist letter addressed to the Black Student Union (BSU). After consulting with the BSU faculty advisor, the College showed the letter to students on the BSU executive board. The short letter makes a number of racist statements towards BSU students and its sender identifies themselves with what appears to be a fake name and address. In the letter, the sender claims to be a resident of Gettysburg, but the letter was postmarked from New Jersey.
On Friday, March 28, the BSU held an “urgent general meeting” in which they addressed the letter. According to BSU president Justin Whittick ’27, the meeting involved “telling people how [BSU] wanted to move on from [the letter] and how we wanted to be perceived.”
The Gettysburgian sat down for an interview with Whittick, BSU vice president Denae Bowen ’26 and community service liaison Oumye Toure ’27 to discuss their reaction to the letter and plans they have for the BSU this semester.
“We didn’t want to be just as passive and quiet about [the letter], but we also didn’t want to come off as angry or hostile. But still we wanted to celebrate our culture in the best way possible,” said Whittick. “We decided we wanted to do an event.”
Whittick explained that the BSU decided to host a “celebration of black joy.” They planned an event called “Black as F**k”, which is scheduled for Friday, April 25 from 5 to 10 p.m. The following day, they will host a brunch with the Africana studies department which will “[highlight] certain people in the community.”
They also highlighted a “know your rights” seminar being hosted by the BSU, Center for Public Service, public policy department and the Butterfly Coalition student club on Friday, April 18.
This seminar is intended to educate community members on their legal rights as well as the “racial nuances of experiences with law enforcement,” according to Toure. “Knowing your rights doesn’t ensure they’ll be respected, so we want to equip students with knowledge that can be used in case of inappropriate and racist or discriminatory behavior from law enforcement.”
Toure, who is also president of the new Anti-Racist Coalition student club, spoke more broadly on racism she and others have experienced on campus.
“It is necessary to foster awareness about the present and pervasive nature of racism on Gettysburg College’s campus. Everyone, including current and prospective staff and students, should be conscious of the community they are [seeking to be] part of. Attending a white institution does not equate to ceaseless racist verbal and physical attacks from professors, students and town residents, though this is the shared experience of community members of color here. I have been a person of color my entire life, and similar to many people of color here, have never experienced the amount or extent of racism I have at Gettysburg,” said Toure.
Addressing the letter, Toure said that it represents an “overt display of racism, in part acknowledged by the broader community, that exists among a myriad of other overlooked actions and statements. Our community cultivates and contributes to environments that invite, enable, and breed racism socially, academically and professionally.”
She continued, “This letter essentializes the result: an outward expression of hatred toward Black people. In this instance, racism was expressed through feigned anonymity with blatant cowardice. Other community members, whether subtle or confident in their racism, are often protected by academic, social and professional communities that seek to reinforce indifference and inaction toward racism.”
Toure called for “genuine, action-backed efforts to understand and combat the reality of racism on campus,” further stating that “observing racism through a glass window with feigned surprise” does not help combat racism. Instead, it “enables and fosters communal acceptance of irresponsibility.”
“Among various options to begin striving against racism include learning to identify and combat racism, creating and participating in organizations seeking to destroy racism and researching and understanding its history within the U.S. and broader world,” said Toure.
She also expressed desire for the BSU to have a more active role in the Gettysburg community through “focusing on constructive community building, productive discussion and education that prioritizes social & racial consciousness.”
In a statement to The Gettysburgian, President Bob Iuliano expressed that “hateful acts like [sending the letter to the BSU] stand in direct opposition to our values.”
He called the letter “painful and unacceptable,” further stating, “ In times like these, we are reminded of the vital importance of coming together as a community — to support one another and to reaffirm our shared commitment to fostering a campus that is safe, inclusive and respectful for all.”
Iuliano thanked the BSU for their “thoughtful” response to the letter, stating, “We are grateful for [BSU’s] continued leadership in our community.”
He also highlighted the April 25 “Black as F**K” event and encouraged community members to attend.
“As part of their response, the BSU is hosting an event on April 25 to celebrate Black culture — an opportunity for all of us to come together in solidarity, joy and shared purpose. We are proud to support this event and encourage everyone to attend,” concluded Iuliano.
