The University of Oklahoma’s Sigma Alpha Epsilon racism scandal is, unfortunately, nothing new: in the long and storied history of fraternities and sororities in American universities, racism is as common as panty raids.
And while the fraternity in question released an official statement saying that they want nothing to do with the University of Oklahoma chapter of their organization, this isn’t the first time a fraternity or sorority has been embroiled in a racist scandal, and (until we completely eradicate racism, and we have a long way to go) it won’t be the last.
Let’s take a trip down memory lane and review some times that the Greek system in America went full-on Jim Crow.
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Photo: Sigma Chi W&M
15. Tau Kappa Epsilon Throws a Thug Party
Most people celebrate Martin Luther King Day by posting inspirational quotes, reflecting on the accomplishments of the civil rights leader, and calling for the very change he lived and died for. But the privileged white “brothers” of the University of Arizona chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon celebrated MLK Day in a very different way: by throwing a “Thug Party,” complete with drinking alcohol out of hollowed-out watermelons, dressing in street gear, and throwing up gang signs. (Added bonus: they used the hashtags #hood and #MLKblackout on social media, and went crazy with the watermelon emojis. Classy!)
14. Kappa Sigma’s Ivy League Idiocy
Don’t think that it’s just the party schools that have a Greek system filled with privilege white guys (and gals) that are all-too-happy to trade in racist tropes. The Duke University chapter of Kappa Sigma (which boasts itself as producing “the most wanted men in America”; would be interesting to see if they’d make that claim if the majority of the brothers were, well, brothers) was all-too-happy to show their intolerance when they threw an “Asian themed” party that was replete with stereotypes, including (but certainly not limited to) rice paddy hats, kimonos, and an invitation that started out with “Herro!”
13. Columbia’s Chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta Throws Racist Olympics Party
Of course, it’s not just privileged white boys that throw racist parties: Columbia University’s chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta that girls just wanna have (offensive) fun when they threw an offensive Olympic-themed party that was rife with racist stereotypes against Mexicans, Japanese, and Jamaican people. And the best part? These photos were posted, with pride, by the sorority president. Isn’t she adorable!
Photo: Facebook
12. Cal State Cholas
You would think that a state like California would produce a group of tolerant, enlightened individuals…and you would be wrong, especially if you look at the Alpha Chi Omega sorority over at Cal State San Marcos. While on spring break, members of this clearly-progressive sorority posted pictures of themselves dressed as “cholas.” And while the dumb bints believed that they were pretending to be “Latina gang members,” the reality is, a. you never claim or rep a hood or gang you don’t belong do, unless you don’t value your physical safety, and b. it refers to low-income Mexican people, not gang members. And what was the punishment for this obvious display of racism, and classism? You guessed it: NOTHING!
11. Colonial Bros and Nava-hoes
This one was so unbelievably jaw-dropping in its racism, it made the news all the way over in England. CalPoly produces engineers with all those brains, but not an ounce of sense: the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity decided to throw a themed party on Thanksgiving entitled “Colonial Bros and Nava-hoes”…because after all, America was built on the principles of slut-shaming, the rape of Native American women, and the celebration of the imperialism that all but decimated the First Nations people! Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!
Photo: Facebook
10. Don’t Be A Menace to Dartmouth College
In yet another example of “more dumb sh*t white people do when they’re privileged and ignorant,” Dartmouth threw a “ghetto party” sponsored by both a fraternity AND a sorority (Chi Gamma Epsilon and Alpha Xi Delta). And, as this photo from the party (posted on Facebook) demonstrates, different members of the fraternity and the sorority dressed up as Bloods and Crips, because the Bloods and the Crips would totally play Beer Pong together. *facepalm*
Photo: Facebook
9. University of Texas’s Alpha Tau Omega Frat Acts Like, Well, Texans
Texas: Heaven if you’re a white high school football quarterback, Hell if you’re everyone else. The University of Texas at Austin proved this theory by refusing to cancel their “Border to Cross” themed party (that would have featured such all-American fun as the brothers in Alpha Tau Omega “crossing an border” to get from the Texas side to the Mexico side) until the outrage over the party made national news. When they finally had the national spotlight on their idiocy, they changed the name of the party to “The Alamo,” essentially giving the middle finger to the rest of the nation. A reminder: Dubya is from Texas. That’s really all you need to know.
8. Texas Fiji: Because If At First You Don’t Succeed…
So after the brouhaha over at UT-Austin, you’d think that Texas would get the hint and start developing some cultural sensitivity about themselves…and you’d be wrong again! Texas Fiji decided to pick up where UT-Austin left off and throw its own “border-patrol themed party.” This time, it was the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity that left their brains at home when their “brothers” showed up in construction gear, panchos, and sombreros. Of course, when the news hit the national media, the Phi Gamma Deltas claimed it was a “big misunderstanding.”
Photo: Facebook
7. Really, Texas Tech? REALLY?
Continuing with the “border patrol” theme in Texas, here’s a list of the “lovely” ladies of the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority hosting their own border-patrol themed party. Mind you…this came AFTER the mishigosses of the border patrol parties over at UT-Austin and Texas Fiji. Again, though: Dubya, Texas, Red State, the Deep South, Murka…you get the picture. This shouldn’t even surprise you.
Photo: Instagram
6. Chi Omega’s Problematic Snapchats
Why anyone with any sort of sense would live in the American South is beyond my level of understanding: the University of Alabama chapter of Chi Omega recently made the international news when a racist Snapchat message hit the social media site Snapchat. The photo was sent on the site with the caption, “Off Probation, N-word!” Needless to say, they weren’t off probation for long: the “sister” who sent the offensive message was immediately expelled from the sorority.
Photo: Facebook
5. Cal State Fullerton Takes Taco Day to a Very Dark Place
The Alpha Delta Pi sorority over at Cal State Fullerton wanted to do something nice for the sisters, so they had a Taco Tuesday. Sounds like fun, right? After all, who doesn’t love tacos! Unfortunately, as is the case with every one of these Greek parties, it went horribly wrong: the “sisters” showed up wearing panchos, sombreros, and serapes. After the chapter got hit with sanctions for such idiocy, Chicana Chicano Studies Alliance co-chair Martha Contreras had to make a statement regarding the matter: “You can have a Taco Tuesday without being racist. Just serve tacos.” (The fact that she had to say this common sense proclamation in the 21st century is, quite frankly, disgraceful.)
Photo: Facebook
4. A Delta Gamma’s 21st Birthday Goes Horribly Wrong
This sorority sister from the University of Maryland’s chapter of Delta Gamma found herself in a world of hot water when she posted the following picture on Instagram. Never mind the fact that the “cake” is nothing but tiny cupcakes & bottles of alcohol, never mind the fact that the girl looks basic as hell, and DEFINITELY never mind the fact that the sorority had to go out of its way to release TWO statements denouncing the post: who are the 77 people that thought it was OK for this milquetoast maiden to post about “sucking a N-word d*ck”?
Photo: Instagram
3. Have Yourself A Merry Little Crip-mas!
Clemson University normally stays off the national radar…until this year, when Sigma Alpha Epsilon threw a Crip-themed Christmas party (complete with privileged white kids in full Crip gear and throwing up gang signs). When pressed for comment, the white students claimed they couldn’t understand what the big deal was…to which we humbly suggest they walk down Crenshaw Blvd. dressed that way to find out.
Photo: Facebook
2. Phi Sigma Sigma’s Ill-Advised BET Party
McDaniel College in Maryland is a small, quiet college that keeps itself off the national radar…until the Phi Sigma Sigma sorority decided to throw a “CMT vs. BET Party.” And it was as ratchet, and racist, as it sounds: the white women (read: all of them) wore cutoff shorts and cowboy boots while twerking (as well as one can without an ass, anyway), when the white men (read: all of them) wore backwards caps and baggy pants. When the Daily Mail reported on the party, the sorority claimed that it would never do anything to offend its black members…but didn’t produce any such black members that endorsed such nonsense. Interesting.
Photo: Facebook
1. University of Alabama Fights for their Right To Keep White Frats & Sororities White…And Wins
Again, why anyone would consciously live in the American South is beyond me: recently, the University of Alabama denied two black students entry into the so-called “Greek system.” The reason? Why, because they’re black, of course! This sparked outrage across the campus…to which 27 student senators replied by voting to keep their all-white fraternities and sororities exactly the way they are. After all, you can’t have black people coming into fraternities and sororities, demanding to be treated equal to everyone else. What next…give them the right to vote? Grant them equal protection under the law? Have a black President? Not in Alabama, dammit! This is ‘Merica!
Photo: Corbis
Bernadette Giacomazzo never joined a sorority in her college days…thank God. Talk to her on Twitter at @berngiacomazzo or on Instagram at @kbprfirm.
