It took less than 30 minutes for white men with signs that read “Deport All Illegals Now” and “DEI Should Be Illegal” to know they weren’t welcome on Tennessee State University’s campus.
The conservative group was quickly escorted off campus by law enforcement as Black students shouted phrases like, “Go, get out of here,” and “I hope y’all have a blessed day.”
“The presence of hostile groups on our campus is not merely a political statement,” Tennessee State University said in a statement to students, faculty, and staff. “It is an attempt to draw attention to their views by creating visibility at the expense of Tennessee State University students.”
The historically Black university said that at all times, TSU students conducted themselves professionally and respectfully. The university also said that the group was not given permission and did not provide notice of their arrival.
The group, which identified itself as “Fearless Debates,” attempted to set up a table with chairs along with signs on the Nashville campus on Tuesday afternoon.
Tennessee State said it is currently investigating and reviewing evidence from the incident and declined to comment further.
The university is currently in the midst of escalating security measures after a former student called in bomb threats early last week, causing a lockdown on the campus. After working with the Metro Nashville Police Department and the FBI, the threat was deemed not credible, and the lockdown was lifted.
In 2022, the university was among more than 40 Black colleges that were targets of terrorist threats made to HBCUs that year.
What are people saying?
Several students went live on social media and posted videos on TikTok. In the videos, a group of students followed the two white men as they were being escorted off campus by police officers.
Capital B reached out to several TSU students on social media, but they all declined to comment.
Like many people on social media, especially X, NAACP Nashville said it is “infuriated and alarmed” that groups like the Fearless Debates are targeting Black colleges.
“We urge you — our HBCUs, our NAACP partners, and our Black leadership networks — to be vigilant, to share information, and to prepare responses to ensure that students are protected from these deliberate attempts to disrupt the sanctity of our campuses,” the chapter said in a statement posted on social media.
Fearless Debates plans to tour all 50 states and has already visited 10 as of Friday, Sept. 26, according to the group’s bio on X.
The videos posted by unauthorized visitors sparked a swarm of comments from far-right accounts, attacking the university and students who had documented the incident.
Signs are seen during a news conference at Tennessee State University, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo / George Walker IV)
Many far-right commentators questioned why they were not allowed on campus despite Tennessee State receiving state funds. While the university is public and several parts of the campus are open to non-students, the university has restrictions on demonstrations on campus, according to its free speech policy.
In the policy, the university will “maintain the generally accessible, open, outdoor areas of its campus as additional public forums for free speech by students and will not restrict students’ free speech.”
The policy also said the university would not restrict the free speech of those who are invited by students. However, the university said those from Fearless Debates arrived on campus without notice or approval.
The document refers to the university’s policy on access to and use of facilities by both affiliated and non-affiliated individuals. This includes indoor and outdoor facilities.
Those affiliated and not affiliated with the university have to complete a request form at least five days in advance, according to the policy.
How is TSU funded?
TSU is a public university that receives funding from both the federal and state governments. As a public university, the majority of its funding is overseen by the government to ensure it remains accessible to students, especially those in the state.
“The Republicans are now saying they want to defund HBCU Tennessee State University, SOMETHING THEY’RE ALREADY DOING, because students didn’t tolerate their little agitator BS,” said Isaiah Martin, who is running to represent Houston’s 18th District in Congress.
In 2023, the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Education sent a letter to Bill Lee, the governor of Tennessee, stating that the state had underfunded TSU by more than $2.1 billion since 1987.
Under the federal land-grant program, states were required to provide matching funds to the federal money given to these universities. The federal agencies found that Tennessee had failed to match the federal funds for TSU properly.
The Morrill Act of 1862 gave states 30,000 acres of land to create colleges and universities.
Almost 30 years later, the Second Morrill Act of 1890 was passed to address the discrimination in admissions: States could either consider Black students or create separate institutions for them, resulting in the 19 land-grant institutions we have today.
TSU is one of two land-grant institutions in the state and the only HBCU.
What does this incident reveal about public safety on college campuses?
Tennessee State was already planning to improve its security measures after the bomb threat earlier in September.
However, the NAACP and others continue to urge college campuses, particularly Black colleges, to prepare their students for more targets from those who seek to disrupt HBCUs.
Just a day after Charlie Kirk, a conservative influencer, was murdered on a college campus in Utah, several HBCUs across the country were put on lock down due to terrorist threats.
As the tensions continue to rise in the aftermath of Kirk’s death, several Black colleges, such as Alabama State University and Virginia State University, said they have increased campus security.
Recently, Howard University announced upgrades to campus security, including increased police presence, enhanced vehicle patrols, and improved security in residence halls.
Morgan State University, located in Baltimore, continues to enhance its security measures after a mass shooting in October 2023 that was not affiliated with the university. The university has upgraded its blue light emergency phones and other technology while increasing campus patrols and officers.
The post Black Students Confront Right-Wing Visitors as HBCU Security Tensions Grow appeared first on Capital B News.