{"id":118878,"date":"2022-12-15T00:05:10","date_gmt":"2022-12-15T05:05:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thecollegefix.com\/?p=118878"},"modified":"2022-12-15T17:50:52","modified_gmt":"2022-12-15T22:50:52","slug":"images-debunk-accusation-professor-used-blackface-for-mj-thriller-halloween-costume","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thecollegefix.com\/images-debunk-accusation-professor-used-blackface-for-mj-thriller-halloween-costume\/","title":{"rendered":"Images debunk accusation professor used blackface for MJ \u2018Thriller\u2019 Halloween costume"},"content":{"rendered":"

UPDATED<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Picture, video shows professor in traditional zombie makeup, not blackface<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Washburn University officials are staying silent on whether they have completed their investigation into a professor who wore a Michael Jackson \u201cThriller\u201d zombie Halloween costume and what consequences, if any, the scholar faces — or if she has been cleared in light of new evidence.<\/p>\n

University officials did not respond to The College Fix\u2019s<\/em> recent emails seeking an update on the probe into<\/a> chemistry Professor Holly O’Neill, interim assistant dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The questions sent by The Fix<\/em> in both November and December came after images and video obtained<\/a> by the Washburn Review<\/em> student newspaper show the professor is in traditional dark-greenish zombie makeup, not blackface, as some had suggested.<\/p>\n

The accusations had prompted a protest and calls for more diversity as well as accusations against the scholar for cultural appropriation.<\/p>\n

But the student newspaper reported<\/a> Nov. 4 that some said \u201cher skin looked darker during her reenactment \u2026 due to the lighting of the room. Others [said she] had simply worn makeup to look like a zombie as singer Michael Jackson did in his music video \u2018Thriller.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

In a Dec. 6 email to The College Fix<\/em>, O’Neill said \u201cWe were all dressed and painted as zombies to recreate the Thriller video at a department party. I apologize for the costume, there was no disrespect intended.\u201d<\/p>\n

The incident first made headlines in late October, with several Kansas news outlets reporting the chemist was \u201cunder review<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lori Hutchinson, interim director of public relations, told<\/a> the Washburn Review<\/em> student newspaper on Oct. 28 that campus officials are \u201creviewing concerns raised about a costume worn by an employee to an on-campus Halloween party Thursday, Oct. 27.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are gathering information and hearing perspectives from the students, faculty and staff who were involved and have been affected before developing a response to the situation. Washburn\u2019s commitment to an inclusive campus community will be an important part of this review process,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n

According<\/a> to the student newspaper, O\u2019Neill \u201cperformed a dance to Michael Jackson\u2019s song \u2018Thriller.\u2019 A video of the performance was posted onto Facebook, then quickly deleted.\u201d WIBM reported<\/a> that some said \u201cher skin looked dark during the routine.\u201d<\/p>\n

But a newly surfaced video of the “Thriller” reenactment shows the scholars had spent some time memorizing dance steps in a performance that appears to be all in good fun to mark Halloween.<\/p>\n