Colorado State University says it is investigating a report of a “racially insensitive” banner on display outside a fraternity house near the Fort Collins campus.
Photos surfaced this week of a banner with an invitation to rush the fraternity apparently hanging above the doors of the fraternity house, 709 Wagner Drive: A drawing of Uncle Sam with what appears to be blackface paint on the face and hand, with the words: “We want you to rush Lambda Chi.”
Blackface dates back to the 1800s, when minstrel performers darkened their faces to create harmful and stereotypical caricatures of Black people.
The Collegian, the student news organization for Colorado State University, reported on Thursday that a student noticed the banner late Wednesday night and reported it to the university overnight.
The fraternity disputes the image shown in the photo.
In an Instagram post Friday, the fraternity said the photo “was not representative of the banner that was painted.” The post included a photo of the banner, without blackface, hanging against a brick wall.