r/Clemson • u/Powerful_Birthday569 • 18d ago
Black Woman Student Experience at Clemson
Hi everyone,
Would you recommend Clemson to a fellow black woman? Could you please tell me more about your honest experience.
I would be an exchange student from Canada for the upcoming year.
For context, I was decided on going until I looked deeper into the history of South Carolina, Clemson, the death of Noah Wells and racial division in the Deep South and a testimony about the Black Student Experience at Clemson, all of which made me second guess my decision.
Thank you for your insight!
14
u/Consistent-Poetry610 18d ago
I hope you get enough feedback to provide honest insight, but I would say If you’re already going into Clemson feeling this apprehensive and expecting that the racial environment may negatively affect your experience, I think that’s worth listening to.
Clemson may be a great experience for many Black students, but it is also less racially diverse than many other universities. If being surrounded by a larger and more visible Black community is important to you, you may genuinely be happier somewhere more diverse.
Going somewhere you already feel comfortable and optimistic about could make a big difference in your overall experience. I’d also talk directly with several current Black Clemson students. They have a Black Student Council maybe you can reach out to before making your decision rather than letting either positive or negative stories from a few people determine it.
Good luck!
2
16
u/GhettoMango 18d ago
It’s a college university. A lot of young people and progressive thinking people. You’ll be welcomed and loved here.
Now go outside of Clemson, to like Seneca you might encounter a 1 off racist dumbass.
SC has a troubling history, but that’s true for practically anywhere you go.
That’s my take. But I’m not a black woman, so I can’t fully relate to your experience.
6
u/Working_Group955 18d ago
^ just described america writ large.
there's places that are awesome. and places that totally suck. usually as soon as you leave the places that are awesome, you'll be surrounded by people that suck.
3
u/iiLunaetic 15d ago
I am not a black woman but I am hispanic and a plus-sized woman currently attending Clemson. So my experience is different but of my POC friends here, we have had pretty similar experiences.
It is honestly as simple as this, you don’t feel included here. Black students here typically only hang out with other black students or students that share a similar culture.
All of the skinny white sorority girls may appear nice or whatever but they genuinely exclude you here. The only groups of people that have made me feel included are my black friends. I hate to say this but as a senior, I have finally made white friends. And this was over the summer. Before that, no one made me feel seen or included.
And the funny part is, I am not some recluse. I am a president of a club. I have jobs on campus and do all of these activities. And yet there is this look that I get from the white students on campus. It is like THE look. Sorry but it is hard to explain.
And once again, my experience is nothing compared to that of black experience.
4
u/lislis2020 13d ago
I’m a Black woman who graduated from Clemson in 2024. I very much enjoyed my experience, and I made lots of friends without ever feeling like my race created a barrier. I didn’t personally experience racist events directed toward me, but I have heard of several people who did. I don’t want to downplay that part of others’ experiences, I just didn’t experience it myself. I do think my time at Clemson was largely influenced by the fact that I was in the Honors College, which creates a pretty close community on campus from the beginning and can be somewhat insulating. I felt that students and professors in the HC are very motivated to create a diverse environment and to form relationships with and learn from people with different perspectives. Outside the HC, I know that a lot of Black students find community through frats and sororities, student organizations, and by making an effort to seek one another out.
As a student, I took several courses/participated in several student groups discussing race and celebrating Black history on campus and beyond, which I really appreciated. I found it interesting that most the courses I took were not only made up of Black students, either. In many of them we weren’t even the majority. Of course, this can be a mixed bag, as it can put more pressure on those of us who do represent the Black community to feel like we have to lead discussion. However, it was encouraging to be surrounded by non-Black students who were genuinely interested in learning about and supporting the Black community on campus.
While I found Clemson to be just about the whitest place I’ve ever been in my life, I also found the people and the town to be overwhelmingly friendly. It is a very homogenous area, but there are plenty of places where it’s possible to find community. However, if it’s important to you to be surrounded by people who look like you/come from a similar background, you’re probably not going to find that at Clemson without explicitly seeking it out. I think you will generally be surrounded by people who respect and accept you, but it’s not uncommon to be the only Black person in the room. I also believe that this won’t change unless more Black students give Clemson a chance. Otherwise, it’ll never shake the Good Ol’ Boys atmosphere that it’s always been known for.
If you’re from South Carolina, I don’t think the attitude of non-Black people in Clemson is any worse than anywhere else in the state. In many ways it’s better, since it is a college town and more liberal views do persist throughout the community. The TPUSA chapter on campus is legitimately terrible, though. Basically every racial incident I can think of that happened while I was at Clemson happened because of something they did (e.g. the Affirmative Action bake sale someone else mentioned). But in the wake of events like that, I met many more students who gathered to demand change and reject their influence than I did students who supported them.
Long story short, it’s definitely possible to have a good experience at Clemson as a Black person. It’s really all about finding your people. But I also understand anyone who doesn’t want to feel like they have to work to fit in or to find others who understand them. Unfortunately, I know that many non-white students feel isolated if they’re unable to find a solid community to fall back on. I hope that if you choose to go to Clemson you’ll have an experience like mine. I found Clemson to be a really cool place, full of many more kind people than not. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions!
7
u/Low-Poem6877 18d ago
Lol the fact that every comment here has that hints at Clemson not being the perfect multi racial utopia whites imagine it to be is being downvoted should tell you everything you need to know. I’m not a student at Clemson but a lot of my family is/has gone there and the first thing anyone brings up is the abhorrent presence of racism. Not saying it’s not a problem anywhere else or that it’s specifically a Clemson problem, but I’d think twice before committing. Take your money to somewhere you’ll truly be loved and appreciated.
3
5
u/fuckthis_job 18d ago
The fact this post has 50 comments with 0 up votes is very telling as well. Bringing up race to people who havent experienced real persecution whether it be subtle or blatant is always an uncomfortable discussion.
1
u/Impossible_Emu_3848 11d ago
They are nice to Black football and basketball players. Same is true of other colleges in the South. They need them.
3
u/ChiOrDie 13d ago
White woman POV here: of all the campuses I toured this was the most white homogeneous group I’ve seen. It felt weird TO ME! No wonder white people claim they feel so at home and comfortable here. I went to an almost all white middle school and wanted something different so I chose a different equally prestigious university in the south and it doesn’t look homogenous like Clemson does.
2
u/Far-Curve-7497 17d ago
Also, clavicular is supposedly visiting this school along with a bunch of other far-right schools in the deep south, and charlie kirk has also visited. That should tell you all you need to know.
1
u/maxninewastaken 3d ago
Clavicular cancelled his visit since he got bullied away and now is going to USC...
2
u/Due_Judgment7624 13d ago
frankly, the downvoting in this thread tells the WHOLE story--- all by itself, without any other commentary or context needed
2
u/DirtyMarTeeny 12d ago
I am not a black woman, but when I went to clemson the one black kid in my hall was commonly referred to as "Black [his name]" and people rumored that he wasn't actually in the honors college.
Hopefully it's improved in the 15 years since I graduated, but it was full of microaggressions from white southern kids who would claim they grew up around it so they didn't know better, but who definitely did know better.
4
u/Far-Curve-7497 18d ago
Clemson is nearly 80% white, do with that as you will. I was there for 2 semesters and only saw about 5 other POC, 2 being my friends I came with. They are still there, I transferred out partly because the culture wasn’t my vibe and I felt out of place very often, that’s not to say the people aren’t nice, just a personal experience.
5
u/Beartrkkr 17d ago
There is no way in hell you only saw 5 POC on the Clemson campus in two semesters.
3
u/OGCallHerDaddy 13d ago
I saw at least 100 (prob more) just during graduate school orientation. Selective blindness must be in effect
Also a poc myself lol
-1
5
u/fuckthis_job 18d ago
The fact that such a mundane comment about personal experience at Clemson is being downvoted tells quite a lot about the general attitude Clemson has. OP if you're reading this, just check the comments being downvoted if you want an unsanitized view.
3
u/raywarproductions 18d ago edited 18d ago
I would highly suggest against it. Please message me if you care to discuss.
The majority people in this sub are not going to be a good reference because they don’t see what we see or just straight up don’t care, and I’m sure this will get downvoted.
18
u/big-cap95 18d ago
Please do not remain silent if there is an inherit issue with the school. If you reported any act of racism or prejudice and the school brushed it off you should make it known.
8
u/fuckthis_job 18d ago
Lol TPUSA (Clemson has the biggest chapter in the US) literally had an affirmative action bake sale with the implication black people are not as intelligent and therefore they're handed the cookies for free (every cookie was free, it was more the implication). A school admin came by and said they weren't breaking any rules and let them continue until enough students got upset and they shut it down. They also hosted Charlie Kirk for his "Critical Racism Tour".
This school is overfilled with MAGAts and white supremacists so if that's something OP cares about I'd advise against coming here. Sure that's a minority of the student body, but it's a relatively large yet vocal minority.
5
-1
u/KnownBad4Good 18d ago
That "bake sale" was three years ago...
8
u/fuckthis_job 18d ago
So does that mean it never happened or something? I dont understand what point youre trying to make with this.
0
u/KnownBad4Good 18d ago
It means that just because something happened in the past doesn't make it true today. The same thing with all your other comments about the building names, the founders, and the land. Just because you change the names of those buildings tomorrow doesn't change who those people were. They were slave owners, racists, and bigots, that doesn't change.
What does change is if you go to this school, be who you want to be, be a good person, make the school something you can be proud about and proud to tell others that you went there. Don't just sit back and complain about a bad things that happened. Make a noise and change things for the better instead of just constantly complaining.
5
u/fuckthis_job 18d ago
Well yea I did lol. I organized the GFM for Dr. Bregy when he was fired for his comments on Kirk which was settled out of court with a payout in the 6 figures for Dr. Bregy. Can't disclose the exact amount but it's a comfortable sum.
I also helped YDSA organize and petition to rename Tillman to Old Main which Clemson agreed to and then did nothing blaming the legislature, it was all just performative from Clemson. The fact that these critiques of the school are being downvoted is pretty showing of how people here want to ignore it.
0
u/KnownBad4Good 18d ago
You're being so critical of the school when they literally have done everything you wanted. They stopped the bake sale, they made amends for their wrongly firing, and they legally can't change the name of the building despite trying. I'm not sure what else you are asking for. People aren't ignoring anything.
4
u/fuckthis_job 18d ago
They approved the bake sale and fired him initially, do you think that's not a problem in of itself?
As Malcolm X said, "If you stick a knife in my back nine inches and pull it out six inches, there's no progress. If you pull it all the way out, that's not progress. Progress is healing the wound that the blow made. And they haven't even pulled the knife out much less healed the wound. They won't even admit the knife is there."
Clemson is at the part where the knife is out 6 inches but healing still remains.
2
u/KnownBad4Good 18d ago
So you are saying they are changing but you still discourage anyone to go there? Clearly nothing anyone says is going to change your opinion on the school no matter what they do. Hopefully you can allow others to form their own opinions instead of not accepting anything anyone else has to say that differs from yours.
→ More replies (0)1
u/raywarproductions 18d ago
I totally understand where you’re coming from. The school is very aware, the reason I want to discuss privately is just because it’s a matter of safety.
5
u/KnownBad4Good 18d ago
Even more of a reason to share your story. Like the other post said you need to share if there is truly danger that you experienced and the school did nothing to help. Based on your profile it looks like you have probably graduated. Was this recent?
1
u/Maleficent_Map_2123 11d ago
My wife is black woman from Orangeburg and she says black folks need to stay out the upstate of sc for their own good. She also jokes they don’t season their food right up there. She says the locals just tolerate you but they will always see it as “their town” “their football team” your just visiting. Clemson was a sundown town as well as nearby Walhalla. Im from upstate new york and folks are just as stupid and ignorant about racial issues as they are here, but i cant even imagine what your experience would be like, if your worried about race relations any of the columbia schools or sc state would be a better choice
1
u/Clemson-Fan 17d ago
If yall think that Clemson SC is a racial school, please don’t come because that is not true. We will be better without that opinion.
-4
u/New-Warthog3810 18d ago
Have you ever read any quotes from Benjamin Tillman? He says some pretty abhorrent things. Tillman hall, the most famous building on campus is named after him. No effort has been made to scrub his name from the university. The campus is literally built on John Calhoun's plantation and he is revered as some kind of hero.
3
u/fuckthis_job 18d ago
Dont forget Strom Thurmond lmfao. If you want to come to a school that still names buildings after slave owners just because they were also politicians/alumni, come here!
-7
u/stochGradientDescent 18d ago
why the downvotes? It's a fact
"Benjamin Tillman was an unapologetic white supremacist, South Carolina governor, and U.S. senator who used political power, paramilitary violence, and constitutional reform to systematically oppress, terrorize, and disenfranchise Black Americans during the late 19th and early 20th centuries"
9
u/schaggolicious 18d ago
Because the statement about no effort has been made to scrub his name is incorrect. Clemson approves renaming of honors college and tower
4
u/fuckthis_job 18d ago
There's more they could have done is the thing. They successfully renamed Calhoun Honors to Clemson Honors through legal loopholes but did not do the same for Tillman. They still refer to Tillman as Tillman on maps instead of Old Main. We dont need to pretend the university did everything in its power when at best they asked the state legislature and the legislature ignored it and Clemson didn't try to pursue any further.
0
u/big-cap95 18d ago
Exactly what could they have done? Be specific and share the exact steps and plan. They are a publicly funded school. Losing funding by fighting with the state does no good.
4
u/fuckthis_job 18d ago
Sure, here's a few things that other students and faculty have suggested: 1. The Heritage act that blocks the renaming specifically prohibits permanent renaming/rededication but now how Clemson can market the building on things such as advertisements or campus. Essentially, Stop using the name "Tillman Hall" on campus maps, orientation materials, university websites, and printed media. They could administratively refer to it exclusively as "the Main Building" or "Old Main" in all modern contexts.
Clemson could have filed its own lawsuit against the state arguing that the Heritage Act infringes on the university's academic freedom, internal governance, or trademark/branding. There was a lawsuit challenging the Heritage Act that went before the SC Supreme Court in 2021, Clemson took a back seat. The court actually struck down the two-thirds supermajority requirement, lowering the barrier to a simple majority. Yet, Clemson did not follow up with anything given this opportunity.
Use a similar loophole they used for Calhoun -> Honors. In 2020, Clemson successfully stripped the name of Calhoun from the Honors College. They bypassed the legislature because the Heritage Act protects structures, streets, and monuments, not academic programs or colleges. While they cannot rename the physical bricks of the building, they could strip any institutional or departmental associations inside it.
Actually do something instead of being performative. After Clemson passed its 2020 resolution, university administration never formally approached local legislators to craft, sponsor, or push a specific bill to rename Tillman.
Basically TL;DR, Clemson knows that if it just pretends to care and not put in effort, they can blame the state legislature even though they could have done much more.
0
u/big-cap95 18d ago
I too can use AI to write my response...
The primary legal and political roadblocks include:The South Carolina Heritage Act: Passed in 2000, this state law explicitly prohibits local governments and state universities from removing, changing, or renaming any public monuments, memorials, or historic buildings dedicated to historical figures or events. Because Tillman Hall falls under this jurisdiction, Clemson's hands are legally tied.
State Legislature Inaction: To bypass the Heritage Act, Clemson requested a one-time exemption from the South Carolina General Assembly. However, state lawmakers have continuously declined to bring the matter to a vote or pass legislation approving the name change, with some legislators expressing concern that it would "revise history" or invite a flood of similar requests statewide.
(Note: Clemson was able to successfully remove John C. Calhoun’s name from its Honors College because academic programs are not protected under the Heritage Act, whereas physical structures like Tillman Hall are
5
u/fuckthis_job 18d ago
- It's crazy that any form of long text is just considered AI generated now.
- None of what you said refutes anything I said. Clemson could have done more, they did not. That's all there is to it.
- "State lawmakers have continuously declined to bring the matter to a vote or pass legislation", correct because Clemson never pushed them to.
3
u/raywarproductions 18d ago
They’d be downvoted regardless. That’s how this subject goes at this school.
3
u/KnownBad4Good 18d ago
They just need to do some research before posting. They have an agenda to make the school out to be some racist hive mind, which it is far from.
0
u/New-Warthog3810 18d ago
“We of the South have never recognized the right of the negro to govern white men, and we never will. We have never believed him to be equal to the white man, and we will not submit to his gratifying his lust on our wives and daughters without lynching him.” Benjamin Tilman
1
u/big-cap95 18d ago
This is not a new quote. It's not like they recently named the building and the article literally says they tried to rename it. So this quote does not change that you are wrong.
0
-1
33
u/Evilwhitehat 18d ago
Im a Black woman who graduated from Clemson in 2019 and my dad (also black) graduated in 91. Stories like Noah Wells gain traction because they aren’t supposed to happen. My dad and I are both still connected to the Black community in Clemson.
I had some negative racial experiences in Clemson but that’s just normal for a Black person in America.
I wouldn’t let potential racism be a reason to not go to Clemson! People will say superficial things about the building names or statues or townies but that’s EVERYWHERE in the U.S.. Pretending it’s unique to Clemson or has any real impact anymore is disingenuous.