Imagine If The ‘Cornell 7’ Case Occurred At An HBCU [Op-Ed]

Instead of it taking place at an Ivy League school in Ithaca, New York, what would it look like if a national story concerning rape allegations from fraternity members took place on an HBCU campus in Atlanta, Washington, D.C., or Nashville?

Would President Donald Trump still feel “badly” for the alleged?

Do you think the Kappas, Sigmas, and Alphas would face the same scrutiny?

Might people use more compassionate language when discussing the case’s legalities?

We already know the answers to those questions.

Sunny Hostin from “The View” recounted a call she received from actress Cynthia Erivo, who said, ‘Sis, I know you, and I know your heart and your life’s work has been about protecting women and children. But the clip that I saw doesn’t reflect who you are.” Hostin’s initial remarks about the case focused on its legal aspects, lacking compassion for the alleged victims and other survivors who might have been affected. Hostin reflected, “Instead of leading with the law, I need to lead with empathy so that people can receive the message about the law. I was accused of defending these young men and victim-shaming, which is something I would never do since I spent the majority of my career prosecuting sex crimes.”

If you’re reading this, then you are already aware of the allegations against the “Cornell 7.” The news comes just weeks after 14 people were charged in connection with the alleged trafficking of kilos of cocaine on Penn State’s campus by members of white fraternities. A decade ago, the rape scandal at Baylor University dominated the news, which was around the same time as the Brock Turner case at Stanford.

I ask again: how would the news coverage, social media chatter, and podcast conversations differ if such incidents happened on HBCU campuses and included members of Black Greek-letter organizations?

While readers can draw their own conclusions, we should all agree on the importance of asking this question — as it highlights the inequalities of justice in America, along with the idea that a certain segment of people are historically viewed as being “above” such behavior.

According to a report from USA Today, 1,200 sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalking cases were filed at Cornell from 2018 to 2024. Most of those found responsible received minor sanctions that allowed them to remain on campus, as only 14 of the cases resulted in suspension, with seven leading to expulsion or dismissal from school. 

In response, the President of the United States has stated that he believes the accused won’t get a “fair shake” because New York State Attorney General Letitia James — a Black woman who previously investigated him — has been named as the special prosecutor in the case, calling her “a corrupt person.” 

Former FOX News anchor Megyn Kelly — who once accused former FOX News CEO Roger Ailes of sexual harassment — took it a step further and attacked an alleged victim. “No one will even consider the possibility that this woman made a decision to get it on with four men total, not seven, and enjoyed it because—I’m just going to be honest, she’s not the most attractive gal,” she spewed on her SiriusXM show.

If this is what they think of them, imagine what they think of us.

This isn’t to say that HBCUs haven’t had scandals and tragic incidents of their own. In 2011, former Florida A&M University drum major Robert Champion died during a hazing incident. The Florida District Attorney’s Office released over 2,000 pages of evidence from the investigation detailing the brutal event. Ultimately, his death was ruled a homicide as 11 people were charged with felony hazing, while two others were charged with misdemeanor hazing. One band member was sentenced to more than six years in prison, while another received a four-year sentence. The university settled a lawsuit with the family for $1.1 million.

“If there’s anything about this man’s legacy we need to put a stop to, it’s hazing,” Pastor John Tatum declared at Champion’s funeral. “I call upon every parent, every mother, every father … do what is necessary now to stop this tragedy from ever happening again. Right now.”

Just last year, 20-year-old Caleb Wilson, a member of Southern University’s marching band, died in a hazing ritual connected to Omega Psi Phi. Five men were indicted in December on charges that ranged from obstruction of justice and principal to felony hazing to manslaughter. The case is still ongoing. Southern University expelled the Beta Sigma chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, and Wilson’s family has filed a civil lawsuit. In May, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry signed the Caleb Wilson Hazing Prevention Act into law.

“After 35 years, unfortunately this is still happening. It happened, and that young man lost his life,” Durrone Walker, a former hazing victim at Southern University from the early 1990s, told WBRZ last year. “I was blindfolded and hit over the head with a frying pan, and something was slipped into my drink causing me to go blind and paralyzed.”

“My dad has never seen me, and I’m almost 30 years old. He’s never seen me. He’s never seen my brother. He didn’t get to see me graduate from college,” Walker’s daughter told the local ABC affiliate in Baton Rouge.

While it may seem that Black America holds its own people to a higher standard in these situations, especially when compared to the behavior seen at predominantly white institutions (PWIs) involving individuals who don’t look like us, our desire to expect more from ourselves does not change the fact that such behavior has no place on any college campus, whether it’s a PWI or an HBCU.

When tragedy occurs in this country, young Black Americans are often unfairly stereotyped, fitting the description of assumed culprits without any evidence or history of wrongdoing. This is why we can clearly imagine how the headlines would differ if the “Cornell 7” were actually the “Morehouse 9,” or if the incidents at Penn State happened just down the street from the White House on Howard’s campus.

Besides, we already have evidence to support this. Just look at the Exonerated Five.

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