Blueprint Responds to Issue 5 Crossword

By Blueprint Advisers and Staff

// We are aware that in the current issue of Blueprint that we distributed today, there was a clue in the crossword that perpetuates stereotypes and negative associations with Black culture. What we printed in the crossword is unacceptable. The clue, which stated “out of control hairstyle,” corresponded to the response “afro,” a natural Black hairstyle. We have hurt members of our community through this language and it goes against our core values and our mission. We are a collective, we all take responsibility, and we apologize.

 Natural hairstyles and the afro were used as a declaration of self-pride and beauty during the Black Power Movement of the 1960s. The afro has been subjected to negative portrayals and stereotypes, often depicted as “unprofessional” or “unruly” in various social and professional contexts. These negative portrayals and stereotypes have no place in our paper or in our community.  

 We recognize that the timing of this, on the second day of Black Excellence Month, makes it especially damaging. There is work that we need to do to ensure that we are educating ourselves and each other as journalists. Moving forward, we are updating our writing and ethics protocol for our journalists. We will continue to learn and reflect and will be coordinating with administration, staff, and our DEI coordinator to repair the harm we have caused.