ABSTRACT
In February and March, 2010, the campus of the University of California, San Diego was rocked by a series of racist incidents. First, students discovered a Facebook invitation to a “Compton Cookout” that was sponsored by members of a campus fraternity. The advertisement claimed that the ghetto-themed party was intended to celebrate Black History Month, and included a description of the desired dress code, filled with racist and misogynistic stereotypes. Female guests were encouraged to emulate “Ghetto chicks” who “have short, nappy hair … speak very loudly … have a very limited vocabulary [that they] attempt to make up for … by forming new words, such as ‘constipulated,’ or simply cursing persistently.” Male guests were expected to comply with the stereotypical fashion of hip hop culture, complete with “stunner shades” and “Tats.” The invitation promised that “coolade,” malt liquor, watermelon, and fried chicken would be served. 1 The following week, a campus magazine long known for racist, misogynistic, and homophobic content broadcast a television program on a student-run station defending the party, ridiculing Black History Month, and using racist epithets to disparage African American students. Members of the Black Student Union (BSU) searched the television station’s office and discovered a piece of cardboard with the words “Compton Lynching” scrawled upon it.
