Historical Reference of #PaintItBlack

The iconic Painted Street tradition has been associated with the Drake Relays since 1975. The event gathers hundreds of students and involves student organizations painting themed squares and ends with a festive paint fight.

In the fall of 2018, students created #PaintItBlack to mobilize in solidarity for students of color, after a racist note threatening violence had been anonymously delivered to a Black student's residence hall room on November 7, 2018. In response to this hateful act, a group of organized students brought forward to Drake University’s Student Senate a proposal to collectively paint Painted Street black until the 2019 Drake Relays. This proposal unanimously passed a resolution of support. President Marty Martin confirmed his support of the resolution, following a forum attended by students of color, Drake Student Senate executive members, and a Drake University Board of Trustees Chair, David Golder. This same meeting was disrupted by robocalls made to campus from a white supremacy group.

It’s Purpose at Drake

#PaintItBlack seeks to publicly recognize acts of hate and to shatter the conventional campus culture of silence and to foster a sense of community across identities.

The goal of #PaintItBlack is to reinforce equity and inclusion initiatives, by inspiring the togetherness needed to make a strong, dynamic statement against racism and white supremacy. Using the most symbolic encapsulation of Drake's identity, the Painted Street, students stood together with support from the larger Drake community to commit themselves to the work of anti-racism.

Each year, the circle at the end of Painted Street is painted black and students, staff and faculty are invited to sign the circle to reaffirm their commitment to ensuring the students of color at Drake know they are seen, valued and supported by the continued commitment to anti-racism.

Affirmation of Signing

Timothy Gant, Co-organizer of the movement, had one message for everyone on campus and for the anniversary of painting painted street black, echoing what many student activists & co-organizers, like Morgan Coleman and Courtney Guein included, and shared “Don’t forget why we did that,” Gant said. “We weren’t just trying to go out and go paint the street just to be fake woke or fake impactful. We really wanted people to know how we felt and get people to band together and say that we weren’t gonna accept it anymore. You just have to have that same attitude when you’re trying to carry this thing on a year out. You just kind of got to keep looking forward and keep looking ahead.”

This is the 5th year commemorating #PaintItBlack. To demonstrate a shared commitment to Drake University’s students of color, you are invited to sign this letter as a powerful statement of solidarity and commitment to the work of anti-racism. This historic action is intended to reinforce the commitment to this pivotal moment in the university's history.

With Tim’s quote in mind, we ask that, as you sign this letter, you remember why we are there: We are committing anti-racism. We are standing against racism and hatred. We are seeking to use our privileges, however great one may be to uplift the voices of others. We are uniting in a common cause. We are celebrating equity and inclusion.