OU student tweeted video of man spotted in blackface to make ‘stand’
The Associated Press - January 26, 2019 9:30 am
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) – A University of Oklahoma student says she tweeted a video of a man walking near campus wearing blackface to make a difference.
OU student Ashonte Winston tells KWTV the man’s actions are ignorant and that she shared her video “to stand for something.”
Several videos were posted to social media Wednesday showing a man with black paint on his face around Norman. Campus police are investigating.
However, Oklahoma State University journalism professor Joey Senat says the “speech” is likely protected by the First Amendment and as such wouldn’t be subject to prosecution under the law. However, the University can elect to set its own standards for what actions are not allowed or tolerated on the campus.
The incident comes less than a week after two students withdrew from OU and apologized after a video showed one of the women wearing blackface and using a racial slur.
OU President James Gallogly attended an anti-racism rally Tuesday and vowed to take action targeting racism on campus.