Victim, mother speak out about alleged racial slurs at WSU

The Washington State University campus in 1968 was a vastly different environment than it is today. 

It was a time of social unrest in all places, and particularly university campuses, where rallies for civil rights were a normal occurrence.

It was in this year a young black woman left the campus, forsaking her degree, in the face of personal tumult brought about by racism, which, as the public is led to believe, was far more common then than it is now.

But 47 years later, on Feb. 21, that woman’s granddaughter has encountered much the same attitude.

When attending a social event with friends, she was allegedly greeted at the door of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity on the WSU campus with racial slurs and a door slammed in her face.

Dominique Stewart, the 18-year-old WSU freshman targeted, said she had never encountered racism to the extent she experienced that night and it has taken from her the feeling of security she previously had on the Pullman campus.

“After the guy said those words to me and slammed the door in my face, a member of the fraternity opened the door and said, ‘He’s just intoxicated, he didn’t mean it,’ and shut the door again in my face,” Stewart said. “We’ve never heard any apologies other than ‘he was drunk,’ which isn’t an answer, not an acceptable justification and it just brings up bigger issues.”

For Stewart, the incident is not easily forgotten.

“It’s on my mind every day. People look at me in a different light. Since there’s such a huge Greek population at Washington State University I’ve been looked at as the bad guy of the situation and been treated differently. I only feel comfortable in my room,” she said. “Everything’s changed now.”

Stewart’s mother, Jameila Stewart, spoke to the Daily News last Wednesday before WSU President Elson Floyd’s meeting Thursday with the group WakeUpWSU.

She said then that as upsetting as the incident was, the university’s reaction — or lack thereof — is just as troubling.

“We have the admission, everybody knows what happened, he’s not denying it,” Jameila Stewart said. “Even in the wake of him not denying it, the university has chosen not to, A, make a statement, and, B, reach out to our family.”

She said although there have been a few supportive individuals contact her, after 19 days she was surprised and upset not to hear from Floyd about the incident.

“My concern is in the president’s role in this, that he hasn’t reached out to my daughter in the wake of what has happened or even issued a public apology or issued a statement,” she said. “Perhaps when the university’s official investigation is complete, maybe that would be the time for him to come forward. He still could have made some reference to this: ‘There’s been some unfortunate events that have come to our attention and we’re still investigating it.’ He could have at least made reference to what the university will not tolerate and that it will take issues seriously, but there’s nothing.”

Dominique Stewart said she no longer feels welcome on the campus, particularly since the solutions being given her all seem to have to do with her departure.

“The university is really trying to not make this an issue, and I feel like they’re just trying to push me out,” she said. “They’ve offered solutions like me dropping out of my classes, withdrawing from my classes, retroactive withdrawal not continuing at the university. Those are their solutions,” she said.

The Stewarts said the university offered Dominique Stewart a tuition refund if she decided to leave the school, but that’s a decision she isn’t yet ready to make.

“It’s too early to decide. I’m the kind of person who’s never going to give up. I’m a very determined student,” Dominique Stewart said. “I’ve worked so hard to get where I am right now and for them to just make me feel bad and make me feel unwelcome at the school is just unsettling and upsetting to me.”

It is having a similar effect on her grandmother.

“It’s been powerful. She’s emotional talking about what happened to her 47 years ago. These are the types of lasting effects these types of situations have on individuals,” Jameila Stewart said. “Her granddaughter is still experiencing the same type of thing. So what has changed?”

Shanon Quinn can be reached at (208) 883-4636, or by email to squinn@dnews.com.

After the guy said those words to me and slammed the door in my face, a member of the fraternity opened the door and said, ‘He’s just intoxicated, he didn’t mean it,’ and shut the door again in my face,” We’ve never heard any apologies other than ‘he was drunk,’ which isn’t an answer, not an acceptable justification and it just brings up bigger issues.”