MSU Apologizes For Racially Insensitive Black History Month Display

Michigan State University is apologizing for a problematic Black History Month display that featured historical, notable Black figures hanging from a rack that resembled a tree.

Although the display offended some people on campus due to its racial insensitivity, other students were less than impressed and shared that this is not the first incident in which something offensive has taken place on campus.

“This isn’t MSU’s first run into something similar to this and also that this can’t keep happening,” student Adam Hafner said.

“How many apologies are they going to make, how many more apologies? You know, what is the action plan? I need something real. I need some transparency. I need to know what is happening,” another student, Krystal Davis-Dunn added.

The display at the Wharton Center gift shop was supposedly in honor of Black History Month but was taken down on Friday after several complaints about it being inappropriate. MSU Spokesperson Emily Gerkin Guerrant said in a statement,

“We sincerely apologize to our community members and have immediately removed the display. Additionally, after the Wharton Center reported the incident, it agreed to provide employees and volunteers with racial bias training that focuses on the impact and understanding of intentional and unintentional racial bias.”