Andrew Pace
A photograph of Covington Catholic High School students wearing blackface and/or black body paint during a basketball game sparked widespread accusations of racism against the school. The photo, which went viral on social media, showed students covered in black paint and yelling at a black player from the opposing team. While some claimed that the black paint was part of a 'blackout' game tradition, where fans wear black to support the team, others pointed out the racist connotations and similarities to minstrel shows from the 19th century. The incident added to the scrutiny the school was already under following a viral video that appeared to show students mocking a Native American elder while wearing Make America Great Again hats.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of the game | November 2012 |
| Teams playing | Covington and George Rogers Clark High School |
| Location | Kentucky |
| Occasion | "Blackout" game |
| Purpose | To show support for the team |
| Clothing | Black |
| Body paint | Black |
| Behaviour | Taunting a black player from the opposing team |
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What You'll Learn
- The photo of Covington students in blackface is authentic
- The blackface was part of a blackout game
- The students were taunting a black player from the opposing team
- The school came under scrutiny after a viral video showed students mocking a Native American elder
- The students' behaviour was condemned as racist
The photo of Covington students in blackface is authentic
The photo of Covington Catholic High School students wearing blackface at a basketball game is authentic. The image, which surfaced on social media, sparked accusations of racism against the school. The photo shows several white students, some with their entire faces and bodies painted in black, shouting at an opposing black player. While the intent behind the body paint was claimed to be a school tradition of "blackout" games, where fans wore black to support the team, the image and its context cannot be separated from its racist connotations and historical associations with blackface.
The photo, which appears to be from a November 2012 basketball game, gained attention amid a separate controversy involving Covington Catholic High School students. A viral video from the Indigenous Peoples March in Washington, D.C., showed a group of Covington students in a confrontation with a Native American activist, Nathan Phillips. This incident brought the school under intense scrutiny, leading to further investigations into the school's culture and past incidents.
In the viral photo, the Covington students are seen wearing blackface and body paint while engaging in behavior that has been interpreted as taunting or heckling of a black player from the opposing team. The image sparked discussions on online forums, with some users expressing concern over the potential racial implications of the "Crazies" (Covington's student cheering section) and their behavior during the game. The photo also drew comparisons to racist minstrel shows from the 19th century, with one person noting the resemblance of a student's exaggerated facial features to racist caricatures.
While the school and its students defended the "blackout" theme as a tradition, the photo's authenticity and the visual evidence of blackface cannot be denied. The official Covington Catholic High School YouTube channel also posted and later deleted a video titled "Colonel Crazies Compilation Video," which featured students covered in black paint at various basketball games. This further validates the authenticity of the photo in question and suggests that the use of blackface was not an isolated incident.
The photo of Covington students in blackface is a stark reminder of the complex history of racial issues in American schools and the ongoing need for sensitivity and awareness in addressing these issues. The visual evidence of blackface, regardless of claimed intent, underscores the importance of examining the broader context of racial dynamics and the impact of such displays.
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The blackface was part of a blackout game
The blackface incident involving Covington Catholic High School students occurred during a basketball game against George Rogers Clark High School in 2012. The photo, which went viral, showed several white students in blackface shouting at an opposing black player. While the intent behind the blackface was explained as part of a school tradition related to "blackout" games, where fans wore black to support the team, the image sparked accusations of racism.
The Covington Catholic High School basketball game photo, which resurfaced on social media, sparked controversy and accusations of racism. The image depicted students with their bodies and faces painted in black, yelling at a black player from the opposing team. The incident brought back attention to the school, which had previously faced scrutiny for a viral video showing students mocking a Native American elder while wearing "Make America Great Again" hats.
Alumni of the school defended the blackface incident as an innocent "blackout" cheer theme, stating that it was a tradition for the cheering section to dress and behave in such a manner against all teams, regardless of race or ethnicity. However, the explanation did not deter critics, who pointed out the racist connotations of blackface and the resemblance to racist caricatures.
The "blackout" game tradition, where fans dress in a single color to support their team, has been practiced by various sports teams and is not unique to Covington Catholic High School. Nonetheless, the incident involving their students resurfaced the debate around the practice of face painting in sports, with some institutions like Arizona State University requesting students to refrain from painting their faces black for similar events.
While the intent behind the blackface at the Covington Catholic High School basketball game may have been explained as a school tradition, the visual evidence and the context of the interaction with a black player from the opposing team cannot be ignored. The incident highlights the complexities of traditions and practices that may have unintended offensive and racist implications.
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The students were taunting a black player from the opposing team
A photograph surfaced in 2019 of Covington Catholic High School basketball game attendees wearing blackface and/or black body paint in the stands. The photo, which was taken in 2012, shows students yelling at a black player from the opposing team. While the intent of the black body paint was purported by some to be a school tradition related to "blackout" games, in which fans wore black to support the team, the image sparked accusations of racism against the school.
The photo gained traction amid a controversy surrounding a viral video that appeared to show students from Covington Catholic High School mocking a Native American elder while wearing "Make America Great Again" hats. In the context of this scrutiny, the photograph of students covered in what looked to be black body paint yelling at a black player during a basketball game also went viral.
In the viral image, the Covington basketball team is playing against George Rogers Clark High School. The photo, which is not a hoax, shows several white students, some in blackface, shouting at an opposing black player. While the photo's origins couldn't be verified, the official Covington Catholic High School YouTube account published a video showcasing attendees chanting in blackface, which was later removed.
Some commentators have pointed to the behaviour of the "Colonel Crazies" (the nickname of Covington's student cheering section) and expressed concern about the level of heckling that takes place on the sidelines during games. Additionally, a basketball player who competed against Covington Catholic in 2015 recalled the students' chants having racial overtones. While the school has stated that it does not tolerate racism, the incident has sparked discussions about the potentially offensive nature of "blackout" games and the need to present a full picture of the facts before reaching conclusions.
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The school came under scrutiny after a viral video showed students mocking a Native American elder
The Covington Catholic High School in Kentucky came under intense public and media scrutiny after a viral video showed students from the school mocking a Native American elder, Nathan Phillips, while wearing "Make America Great Again" hats. The incident, which took place during the Indigenous Peoples March in Washington, D.C., sparked widespread condemnation of the students' behaviour as racist.
In the aftermath of this controversy, a photograph from a 2015 basketball game also surfaced, showing Covington Catholic High School students covered in black body paint and yelling at a black player from the opposing team. This photograph also went viral and sparked accusations of racism against the school, with many interpreting the use of black body paint as blackface.
While some defended the tradition of wearing black body paint as part of a "blackout" game, where fans wear black to support the team, others pointed out the obvious racist connotations and the resemblance to racist minstrel shows from the 19th century. The school's official YouTube page had posted a video in 2018, titled "Colonel Crazies Compilation Video", which showed students covered in black paint at several basketball games, but the video was later deleted.
The school and its students faced intense scrutiny, with many calling for accountability and discipline. The incident with Nathan Phillips and the subsequent discovery of the photograph highlighted issues of racism and the need for careful consideration of all facts before reaching conclusions. The school's response to these incidents is not clear, but they have reportedly taken down the video featuring black body paint and are said to be investigating the conflict and considering punishments.
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The students' behaviour was condemned as racist
The behaviour of Covington Catholic High School students was condemned as racist after a photo surfaced of students wearing blackface during a 2015 basketball game. The photo, which went viral on Twitter, showed several white students in blackface shouting at an opposing black player. While the photo's origins could not be verified, the school's official YouTube account published a video showcasing attendees chanting in blackface, which was later deleted.
The incident sparked accusations of racism against the school, with many interpreting the blackface as a racist caricature and a mockery of the opposing player. The school came under significant public and news media scrutiny, with some users on a forum for prep schools noting that the paint recalled racist minstrel shows from the 19th century.
In response to the backlash, the school removed the video from its YouTube channel and issued a statement saying that they do not tolerate racism. The students involved, including Nick Sandmann, denied any racist intent, claiming that the blackface was part of a "'blackout' game" tradition where students paint themselves in the school's colours to show support for the team.
Despite these claims, the incident was not an isolated one for Covington Catholic High School. The school had previously come under fire after a video went viral showing a group of its students in a confrontation with a Native American activist, Nathan Phillips, in Washington, DC. Many condemned the students' behaviour in the video as racist, with Phillips claiming he heard chants of "build a wall". Extended footage and statements from the students involved added context to the incident, but it nonetheless sparked discussions about the school's discipline and the need for accountability.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, a photograph and video from 2012 show Covington Catholic High School basketball supporters wearing blackface and/or black body paint.
The photograph and video show Covington Catholic High School supporters wearing blackface and/or black body paint while shouting at a black player from the opposing team.
The photograph and video sparked accusations of racism against Covington Catholic High School students. While some defended the practice as a school tradition and part of a "blackout" game, others pointed out the obvious racist connotations and the need to present a full picture of the facts before reaching conclusions.
Covington Catholic High School removed the video from its YouTube channel following media inquiries. The school also came under significant public and news media scrutiny, with some calling for the school to be held accountable for its lack of discipline.
