NYU Served 'Insensitive' Watermelon Meal For Black History Month

WEST VILLAGE, NY —NYU is under fire this week after the university's food service provider served a special Black History Month meal with watermelon-flavored water, Kool-Aid and collard greens, all foods associated with racist stereotypes of black Americans.

The meal, which was served in an NYU dining hall on Tuesday, was reported by student Nia Harris on Facebook, whose post quickly drew dozens of comments and shares.

"In 2018 I literally had to explain why displaying watermelon and koolaid in celebration of Black History Month was not only racially insensitive but just ignorant," Harris said in the post. "I've wanted to go to NYU since I was 7th grade, and it breaks my heart that at this allegedly 'diverse' and 'global' institution, black students are faced with issues like this one."

Harris said in the post that when she tried to get an answer from employees of the dining hall and the university's food service provider, Aramark, she was was treated dismissively.

Andrew Sullivan, the dean of NYU, quickly apologized for the incident on Wednesday. He said NYU had no prior knowledge of the menu before it was served.

"We were shocked to learn of the drink and food choices that our food service provider -- Aramark -- offered at the Weinstein dining hall as part of Black History Month. It was inexcusably insensitive," Sullivan said in a statement. "That error was compounded by the insensitivity of the replies made to a student who asked Aramark staff on site how the choices were made."

Aramark also apologized for the meal, calling it an "inexcusable menu mistake" in a statement.

Victory Pasquale, the company's regional vice president, said one employee has been suspended while the company reviews what happened and all employees are being re-trained.

"I would consider today a victory," Harris, the student, told the New York Times, which first reported on the meal. "But it’s also very important that we had to publicize it in order to put the pressure on them to do the right thing, because I feel like had I not publicized it, this could have gone a little bit differently."

Image credit: Ciara McCarthy / Patch