Texas Wesleyan cancels game after student outcry over racist language

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Texas Wesleyan University canceled a play after students rallied against it over fears it portrayed a threatening white character and used racist language toward a black character.

In the opening scene of Down in Mississippi, a white character calls a black character the N-word approximately 13 times and threatens him after learning he is in the area to help register other black people to vote.

The Texas Wesleyans Black Student Association shared in an Instagram post on Thursday that many students were deeply disturbed that such scenes would be shown on campus.

It will further harm black students and possibly students from other marginalized communities, the organization wrote of the piece.

After a discussion on campus between school and theater officials, the playwright, and the students, the university decided not to mount the production in support of the concerns expressed by the students.

University officials had warned before the plays were scheduled to air that they contained adult content and graphic language, including racial epithets used in historical context.

On Thursday, playwright Carlyle Brown, who is black, addressed students with university board chairman Glenn O. Lewis; Joe Brown, drama teacher; and Wambui Richardson, artistic director of the Jubilee Theatre.

The university’s student publication, The Rambler, first reported on the play controversy on Friday. His staff shared a recording of the public session with The Dallas Morning News.

Some students were upset at the number of times the racial slur was used, saying such repetition was unnecessary and might allow more people to use it.

Taylor, a freshman from Texas Wesleyan who did not state her last name, shared that while such aspects of the story cannot be erased, the fact that a white actor says the hateful slur sends a terrible message.

There are a lot of students here who have heard other white students say the N-word, she says in the recording. It’s something we still struggle with day to day.

Others said that even though the play uses distasteful language, it is important for such events to be displayed in plays and other performances to truly understand the country’s history.

The video recording shows the campus community discussing the events in which the play takes place, such as Freedom Summer, a 1964 volunteer campaign that aimed to register as many black voters as possible in Mississippi, the use of l racial epithet and its impact on those in Texas. Wesleyan today.

Carlyle Brown, the playwright, noted that the words used in the play had to maintain historical accuracy and be provocative.

Lewis, who is black and the first person of color to serve as president of the university’s board of trustees, said he understands how uncomfortable language can make some people feel.

But when have we ever learned something in our comfort zone? Lewis asked. You don’t learn anything new until you step out of your comfort zone, and I think that’s what Mr. Brown wanted this piece to do.

Lewis added that censoring Brown’s creation is not a real solution.

The play was originally scheduled to run from Thursday through October 9.

In a previous campus-wide email, university officials said they do not condone or condone the use of the N-word or any other hateful language.

These crucial conversations must continue, university officials said in a campus-wide email Friday.

The DMN Education Lab deepens coverage and conversation about pressing education issues critical to the future of North Texas.

The DMN Education Lab is a community-funded journalism initiative, with support from The Beck Group, Bobby and Lottye Lyle, Communities Foundation of Texas, The Dallas Foundation, Dallas Regional Chamber, Deedie Rose, Garrett and Cecilia Boone, The Meadows Foundation, The Murrell Foundation, Solutions Journalism Network, Southern Methodist University, Sydney Smith Hicks, Todd A. Williams Family Foundation, and the University of Texas at Dallas. The Dallas Morning News retains full editorial control of Education Labs journalism.

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