The assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk on 10 September has sparked heated debate across US college campuses, particularly among Black, brown, and queer students who have long criticized his rhetoric. While some political leaders and conservative groups have elevated Kirk as a martyr, many students say his legacy should not be romanticized.
At Howard University, Alana*, an Afro-Latina genderqueer senior, said she was disturbed by images portraying Kirk as a saint. “He wasn’t this national hero or politician,” she said. “He was just a white man with a loud opinion.”
Across Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), students report feeling unsafe as institutions have received racist threats in the aftermath of Kirk’s death. At Tennessee State University, students confronted a group of conservative activists from the “Fearless Tour,” who appeared on campus without permission carrying signs like “DEI should be illegal.” The group was escorted off campus by security.
Free speech concerns have also intensified. In Texas, two Black students faced disciplinary action after mocking Kirk’s death, with one expelled and another withdrawing under political pressure. Governor Greg Abbott even called for expulsions on social media, raising alarm among civil liberties advocates. “We cannot allow fear or political pressure to justify suppressing our most fundamental rights,” said attorney Samantha Harris.
Legal scholars like Justin Hansford warn that Kirk’s death could deepen America’s cycle of regression in civil rights. “We had Obama as a step forward,” he said, “then Trump as a step back. This moment could accelerate backwards sliding.”
For many students, Kirk’s assassination highlights broader issues: censorship, scapegoating of marginalized communities, and rising political polarization. Some, like Maria*, a senior at Pratt Institute, are even considering leaving the US. “America just isn’t a good place to be in anymore,” she said.
