Race: A Social Construct

Race: A Social Construct Karina Edwards

Clemson University is ranked 1341th in ethnic diversity nationwide. Clemson is 83.3% white, 6.5% African American, 3% Hispanic, 2% Asian

Clemson prides itself on being a diverse school, but it is below the national average. Although racial equality at Clemson has increased in the past years, Clemson needs to educate students about the cultural and biological aspects of race.

Biologically race does not exist. Race is a social construct. The characteristics that people use to describe race and group people into racial categories are biological adaptations due to their environment most affected by their location in correspondence to the equator. As natural selection and adaptation occurred both phenotypes, physical expressions of genes, and genotypes, the hereditary makeup, changed. Phenotypes include blood type, color blindness, enzyme production, hair, skin, and eye color.

Physical characteristics are the most common tools for determining one’s race. There are several rules established by biological anthropologists that suggest a characteristics’ trend based on the human’s environment. Thompson’s nose rule denotes that noses grew longer in colder environments. Allen’s rule denotes protruding body parts grew longer in warmer climates. Beggman’s rule denotes that bodies are larger in colder environments and larger in warmer environments.

The most common characteristic used to categorize people is skin color. Skin color is determined by the amount of melanin in the skin. Melanin is pigment produced in the epidermis that protects the body from harmful UV rays. The geographical distribution aligns with the equator. The closer to the equator the origin of the person, the darker the corresponding skin tone.

Race is an informal ranking of sub hierarchy. There are three conventional geographic racial groupings: African, Asian, and European. Anthropologists believe that humans have not isolated themselves enough to form distinct groups. Many populations do not fit into one of the three great races.

Race is a social idea. If you ran the DNA of a Caucasian person and that of an African American person there would be no way to show a genetic proof of whose was whose. A person who is considered to be black in Europe may be considered white in South America. It depends on the society they are in. Both race and racial identity depends on the environment. At Clemson considering yourself anything but white puts you in a minority. Pew Research Center’s data shows that in the united States 69% of people consider multiracial people with a black background to be black.

Although race does not biologically exist the social constructs it creates do. There is ongoing prejudice and discrimination based on the social ideas of race. Children are products of their environment. Growing up uneducated or misinformed about race can lead them to be knowingly or unknowingly prejudice. There can be prejudice without discrimination but there can be no discrimination without prejudice. The best way to eliminate the social construct of race is through education.

Clemson makes a great effort to appear diverse, but the school tries to hide its racial history. Clemson is built on what was once a slave-owning plantation. John C Calhoun lived in Fort Hill, which is now used as part of the campus tour. The administration has asked tour guides to leave out the fact that Calhoun was a slave owner and the house was once a symbol for the Daughters of the Confederacy and Old South. In order to dissolve the racial tensions history should be acknowledged, not ignored.

The see the stripes campaign was formed to help raise awareness and discuss how the school we know and love today was built on the backs on African Americans, which should not be neglected.

“Slavery, sharecropping and convict labor paved the streets and sidewalks of this “high seminary of learning,” and earning a degree from here tethers me to the legacy of that and John C. Calhoun, Strom Thurmond, Thomas Green Clemson and “Pitchfork” Ben Tillman, who, with his henchmen, killed black members of a militia, never to be convicted, but elected to public office—Governor— to have statues and buildings erected in his honor, eventually.” This campaign allows for the airing of grievances, which should not be pushed aside. Every member of the student body has the right to be heard and feel as much a part of the Clemson family as the next. The problem with the idea that one life is more important than another is that there are no others.- A.D. Carson

Racism is still alive and well on Clemson's campus today. On the morning of April 11th 2016 a person now known as the "Banana Bandit" placed a bunch of bananas on an African American sign commemorating Fort Hill and its history. These banners are placed on campus to remind the students who are fortunate enough to attend the University that these lands were once worked and built on the backs of African American men and women. Due to the controversial views of this history this small action was a large step backward for the Clemson student community.

On a more positive note students were pleasantly surprised by the hasty action taken by president Clements. President Clements promptly sent an email to the student body that read as follows:

Dear Campus Community: Earlier today a banner highlighting our University’s history was defaced. This type of conduct is hurtful, disrespectful, unacceptable and will not be tolerated. This incident is under investigation and we ask anyone with information to please contact CUPD at 864-656-2222 or Interim Dean of Students, Dr. Chris Miller at 864-656-5827. Clemson University is committed to providing a safe, encouraging environment which supports and embraces inclusiveness at every level.

These bananas once a harmless fruit, used for providing nutrition became a symbol of hate and of racism. The moment they were hung against the banner they became a hurtful representation of the dehumanization of African Americans. The actions taken by one student become a reflection of the so called "Clemson Family". The actions of each individual represents the student body as a whole.

As a Clemson student one of the first things taught is the solidarity that is "Solid Orange". This represents the bond and the devotion the student body is alleged to have for each other. The Clemson University website reads, "Solid Orange goes far beyond orange T-shirts. It's thinking and acting like a winner, knowing that everything we do reflects on every other Tiger. It's just part of what makes Clemson uniquely Clemson."

As reflected in the See The Stripes campaign it is important to remember the stripes of the tiger as well as the Solid Orange. The role of racism in the history of Clemson cannot be ignored and must be addressed in order to achieve the ideal Clemson Family that is so constantly preached.

The prompt response from President Clements was a step in the right direction, but a brief email voicing the concerns of the university's administration is inadequate. In response to the recent events on campus, in addition to the racial inequality that transpires on a daily basis, the Black Liberation Collective has released a list of demands for the Clemson University administration.

President Clements has yet to respond to the release of the demands previously listed. As in the past there will be a battle between protecting the history of the school and making changes for the sake of the students. There has been a constant battle for change on campus. For example, choosing to maintain the name of Tillman Hall, the signature Clemson building named after Benjamin Tillman, a well known white supremacist. The fight for the changing of the name was supported by many students and the Clemson student government, yet The Clemson University board of trustees voted to maintain the name as to not alter the university's history.

The Clemson University Board of Trustees is committed to diversity and will continue to be so. While we respect the many differing opinions of our graduates, our students, our faculty and staff regarding this matter, the Clemson University Board does not intend to change the names of buildings on campus, including Tillman Hall. We believe that other, more meaningful, initiatives should be implemented that will have more of an impact on the diversity of our campus than this symbolic gesture.- David Wilkins, Clemson Board of Trustees Chairman

These "more meaningful" gestures have yet to be actualized on the University's campus. Students await hopeful that President Clements and board of trustees will take into account the minority members of its Clemson Family. The best way to increase racial equality on campus is through education. If the University takes time to teach the students and faculty about the social and biological aspects that construct what we see as race, we will be one step closer to being a true Clemson Family.

Bibliography

Beecher Field, J. (2016) Yes, We Have No Time For Bananas. Available at: http://www.thetigernews.com/letters_to_editor/yes-we-have-no-time-for-bananas/article_af9bfe96-0032-11e6-b590-ff3779e322b5.html (Accessed: 12 April 2016).

Carson, A.D. (no date) See The Stripes. Available at: http://seestripescu.org (Accessed: 1 April 2016).

Clemson university diversity (2013) Available at: http://www.collegefactual.com/colleges/clemson-university/student-life/diversity/ (Accessed: 1 April 2016).

History.com (2009) ‘John C. Calhoun - facts & summary’, history.com, .

Kalsi, D. (2015) Clemson’s board of trustees does not intend to change name of Tillman hall. Available at: http://www.foxcarolina.com/story/28083911/clemsons-faculty-joins-the-push-to-change-name-of-tillman-hall (Accessed: 12 April 2016).

Maillard, K.N. (2015) How fluid is race?. Available at: http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2015/06/16/how-fluid-is-racial-identity/race-and-racial-identity-are-social-constructs (Accessed: 1 April 2016).

Our demands (2015) Available at: http://www.blackliberationcollective.org/our-demands/#clemson (Accessed: 17 April 2016).

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Karina Edwards

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