Howard University’s club tennis team is calling for further accountability after racist imagery depicting Ku Klux Klan hoods appeared in tournament materials sent by some members of the University of Maryland’s club tennis team.
How a Howard University tennis leader discovered the racist imagery
The University of Maryland suspended its entire club tennis team indefinitely as officials investigate. The materials were emailed to participating teams ahead of the school’s fall invitational at its College Park campus, according to a Howard University Tennis Club news release, CBS Baltimore and WUSA9.
Toni Rachal, president of Howard’s tennis club, noticed the graphic while reviewing a Google document containing tournament information, including match schedules and a campus map, the day before the event was scheduled to begin.
The graphic showed two white hooded figures resembling Ku Klux Klan members replacing portions of Maryland’s state flag in the document. Howard was among the schools whose tennis teams received the materials.
“I wish I could say I was surprised, but I’ve played tennis my whole life competitively in the South, where I’ve dealt with a lot of racism,” Rachal told WUSA9.
What are Howard’s demands following the incident?
Howard University interim President Wayne A. I. Frederick condemned the imagery, saying it had no place in collegiate athletics or on college campuses.
“Let me be unequivocal: There is no place for racism, intimidation, or imagery rooted in hatred and racial violence in collegiate athletics, on our campuses, or anywhere in our society. The imagery displayed evoked a painful history of racial terror and exclusion that has no place in an environment dedicated to learning, personal development, and mutual respect,” Frederick said in a news release statement.
Howard’s club tennis team is seeking a public apology, a formal investigation to identify who created the document, sensitivity training for Maryland’s club tennis leaders and advisers and a donation of tournament funds to the National Museum of African American History and Culture, per the news release.
Although Maryland’s club tennis team apologized and forfeited its tournament matches, Rachal said she was dissatisfied with the response. “It was not very thoughtful. It was short, and they didn’t take too much accountability,” she told WUSA9.
UMD apologizes for racist imagery as students speak out
The university also referred the incident to campus police and its Office of Student Conduct. Brent Flynn, the university’s director of Recreation and Wellness, apologized to participating teams and said the imagery did not “reflect the university’s values,” according to the outlet.
The incident has also affected Maryland club tennis players, who said they weren’t involved in distributing the material. Freshman Camryn Bryant told CBS Baltimore she was disturbed by the imagery and its impact on Black students.
“I don’t know if they feel threatened by us. I just don’t understand what went through their head as they sent it,” Bryant said.
Bryant also expressed frustration that the entire team was suspended over the actions of individuals whose identities have not been publicly disclosed.
Despite the controversy, Howard’s club tennis team continued competing and reached the semifinals of the tournament’s silver draw, according to WUSA9.