Is Clemson known for being one of the worst areas in South Carolina like racist? (Greenville: home, landscaping)
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I have never been to South Carolina but I was just wondering has the racism including yes in SC gotten better or has stayed just about the same in terms of racism? I know South Carolina has and still is in some parts I would assume still very racist I mean if your black traveling to South Carolina let's say Clemson which I understand is a college town home of the Tigers would I get a lot of bad looks from other whites or since it is a college town which I would also think it's more upscale and cosmopolitan, would me as a black person have a good experience? I see it's like 40 minutes away from Greenville what is Greenville like has the racism gotten better their? I was looking to plan a visit to Clemson so I am curious what South Carolina is like...i know everywhere their is is racism but still in certain parts of the South I am concerned that some of the racial hatred still lies in places like Alabama, Texas, Mississippi, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, etc. I've been to Florida once but in a Tourist destination called Walt Disney World in Orlando. If someone could please tell me more of what the South is like now especially if you are African American, Hispanic, etc living in a mostly white suburban region/neighborhood. I mean is it safe to go out at night if I am living in Clemson?
Clemson was ranked the safest college campus in this country by a publication. It is a small town, mostly students and retirees and college professors. I would say it is one of the safest places in the country.
I don't think you will experience any racism in Clemson or Greenville. It could happen but not likely.
I did recently see a group of men with some Confederate flags on their trucks and motorcycles in the parking lot at Clemson's famous bar, the Esso Club. I had never seen anybody with Confederate flags in Clemson prior to this and my guess is they were from out of town. They definitely were not students unless they are on a 30-40 year graduation plan.
Supposedly there are people with Confederate flags in downtown Greenville all the time but I have never seen any in 20 years.
I wouldn't call Clemson cosmopolitan given it is very small but it is a nice college town. The campus has nice landscaping and the city has more gentrification than you typically see in such a small town in the south.
If you like lakes and being near the mountains, you can't do much better than Clemson.
Last edited by ClemVegas; 11-07-2017 at 10:29 PM..
Normally I would avoid a post like the OP's like the plague. My guess since it was late in the day, you may have been enjoying a few brews or such. Your rambling post seemed like nothing more than baiting.
I grew up in the NE, in a IVY League college town. I have lived in TN, NC and SC. People are people down here in your "assumed racist" south. People down here judge you on your behavior, regardless of race down here.
OP I have to give you a benefit of doubt, but the leash is very short.
Normally I would avoid a post like the OP's like the plague. My guess since it was late in the day, you may have been enjoying a few brews or such. Your rambling post seemed like nothing more than baiting.
I grew up in the NE, in a IVY League college town. I have lived in TN, NC and SC. People are people down here in your "assumed racist" south. People down here judge you on your behavior, regardless of race down here.
OP I have to give you a benefit of doubt, but the leash is very short.
You really should come visit Clemson and the Greenville area before you let anyone else decide how you will feel for you. Does Clemson have some remaining racial tension? Yes. Does Clemson still have some residual racist *******s? Yes. Are the racists the majority? No.
Clemson and the Upstate area still have the background of being in the south but I think most people have moved to a place where they at least try to put racial bigotry aside in favor of equality. Of course we still have a ways to go but this area doesn't feel like more deep southern areas (i.e. SW Georgia or Southern Alabama) that seem to still be stuck in a bygone era of segregation.
If anything, I think Clemson is a bit guilty of whitewashing some of their more unsavory history. In my view, Clemson would be better served to make students learn about the unsavory things that happened in the past so they can build a more united university moving forward. Minority students on campus still have a lot of concerns that they don't feel are being addressed. As with many older universities in the south, there are buildings and places on campus named after historical figures that were part of the segregationist movement. The name for Tillman Hall is a source of some controversy in that regard.
This is a state where as you can see, above, some people don't understand that the confederate battle flag is viewed as a symbol of racial division and hate to many of their fellow Americans.
There is no way a student at Clemson has not heard about Tillman at this point. It is unlikely that Tillman Hall would have been named after Tillman if he was not the politician that pushed for a separate agricultural college in SC. He also pushed for the first women's college, Winthrop, and there is also a Tillman Hall at Winthrop.
Every student entering college has already learned about slavery, segregation and racism in the past. If they take history classes in college, they are going to hear about it again.
I read recently that Clemson had some kind of mandatory online diversity training for professors and students, and I read that the university pays a 'chief diversity officer' 180K a year, and I belive they are advertising for another diversity role at a salary of 90K or so.
I don't know why you are limiting past racist history to the south. University of Oregon, Yale, and other colleges outside of the south have changed names of buildings in recent years. John C. Calhoun attended Yale and he was one of the most racist politicians in history.
I don't think that any of those places that you listed are stuck in an era of segregation, given there is no segregation in those places. Segregation is illegal. I don't think that is fair to those people to suggest they are racist.
I attended Clemson and I never saw any racism. I think students are focused on their classes and having a good time outside class. These are good students.
Last edited by ClemVegas; 11-08-2017 at 08:48 AM..
I have never been to South Carolina but I was just wondering has the racism including yes in SC gotten better or has stayed just about the same in terms of racism? I know South Carolina has and still is in some parts I would assume still very racist I mean if your black traveling to South Carolina let's say Clemson which I understand is a college town home of the Tigers would I get a lot of bad looks from other whites or since it is a college town which I would also think it's more upscale and cosmopolitan, would me as a black person have a good experience? I see it's like 40 minutes away from Greenville what is Greenville like has the racism gotten better their? I was looking to plan a visit to Clemson so I am curious what South Carolina is like...i know everywhere their is is racism but still in certain parts of the South I am concerned that some of the racial hatred still lies in places like Alabama, Texas, Mississippi, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, etc. I've been to Florida once but in a Tourist destination called Walt Disney World in Orlando. If someone could please tell me more of what the South is like now especially if you are African American, Hispanic, etc living in a mostly white suburban region/neighborhood. I mean is it safe to go out at night if I am living in Clemson?
TouristExplorer, I suggest that you ask Sen. Tim Scott and former Gov. Nikki Haley about how South Carolinians relate to people of color. (Hint: we elect them to public office.)
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