Tuskegee University's newly enforced dress code, which prohibits students from wearing bonnets, durags, and bedroom shoes in class and the cafeteria, has drawn criticism from AD Carson, an associate professor of hip-hop at the University of Virginia. In an opinion piece, Carson argues that the policy reinforces anti-Blackness and the politics of respectability that have historically been imposed on Black people in the United States.
University's dress code policy
In anticipation of the coming school year, Tuskegee University President Dr. Mark A. Brown sent welcome letters to students and parents last month. The message highlighted a newly enforced dress code that prohibits students from wearing "revealing clothing in class, to the cafeteria or in official settings like Convocation." Students are also barred from wearing "bedroom shoes, bonnets, or durags to class or the cafeteria." Brown informed students that "faculty will be empowered to respond to students who are inappropriately dressed based on these guidelines."
The policy has produced polarized responses. Supporters argue that as a private school, Tuskegee has the authority to enforce a dress code, and that HBCUs have historically been places where Black people learn discipline and professionalism. They reference W.E.B. DuBois's idea of a "Talented Tenth" of upwardly mobile Black leaders who would uplift the race.
Criticism from a hip-hop professor
Carson, who wrote his doctoral dissertation as a rap album titled "Owning My Masters: The Rhetorics of Rhymes & Revolutions," contends that the dress code is rooted in the politics of respectability. He argues that such policies reinforce anti-Black standards that have been imposed on Black people for decades and have never guaranteed success or safety.
Carson draws parallels to historical and contemporary events, noting that Black men returning from war were lynched in their military uniforms because white people considered them "uppity." He also references the killing of Trayvon Martin in 2012, where the teenager's hoodie was used to justify his death.
Personal experiences and professional stance
Reflecting on his own career, Carson recalls teaching high school in Illinois, where he wore a tie and jacket. When he moved to Clemson University for his PhD, he faced assumptions that his formal attire was religious. After he stopped wearing ties and started wearing T-shirts, he was misread as a trespasser. He faced criticism for his rap album dissertation and for being appointed as a professor of hip-hop, with some questioning whether such work made other Black people look bad.
Carson's book, "Being Dope," explores these themes. He argues that the focus on clothing choices distracts from more pressing issues like the safety of students. He calls for resisting institutions that use clothing, grammar, or other superficial markers to minimize the humanity of others.
