www.theaustinvillager.com HEADLINES Page 5 ~ THE VILLAGER/July 23, 2021 UT Hired Consultant for up to $1.1 million to Revamp Battered Image of “Eyes of Texas” Song

The Longhorn Hellraisers cheer at the Texas game against Louisiana Tech on Aug. 31, 2019. Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Daily Texan Kate Mcgee | Texas Tribune

(TEXAS TRIBUNE) - As outrage swirled among munity. ist intent,” the report states in its executive sum- University of Texas at Austin students last fall over Deutser’s involvement in the group’s work was mary. “‘The Eyes of Texas’ should not only unite us, the school's alma mater, “The Eyes of Texas,” and so significant that he was listed as a board member but hold all of us accountable to our institution’s its early association with campus minstrel shows, and "Special Advisor to the President and Commit- core values.” President Jay Hartzell made a classic higher educa- tee Chair" in its final report. UT-Austin officials didn't The Black President's Leadership Council, a tion decision: He organized a committee. respond to repeated inquiries seeking more infor- group of leaders of Black student groups on cam- This one, he said, would include 24 Longhorn mation about Deutser's role. But the committee's pus, similarly slammed those meetings with univer- athletes, historians, professors and students who chair, Richard Reddick, confirmed after this story's sity administration after Martinez’s report raised would investigate and “chronicle the full history of publication that Deutser's title meant he advised questions about the thoroughness of the informa- ‘The Eyes’ and recommend ways we can openly ac- the committee chair, and was not a chair himself. tion in UT-Austin’s report. knowledge, share and learn from it.” Hartzell tasked the Eyes of Texas committee While the committee report on the song is But by the time the group released its final with researching and documenting the history of complete, it remains to be seen whether students report in March, a new name had quietly been the song last November after a group of students will accept its findings. Some UT-Austin students added to its ranks: Brad Deutser, a Houston con- and student-athletes demanded the school stop said they believe the return to in-person campus sultant who helps organizations with everything singing it in the wake of the death of George Floyd life during the fall semester will bring a renewed from company culture to crisis communications and at the hands of police. Students have raised issues energy to the discussion throughout the rest of this branding. with the song’s origins, including that it premiered year and beyond, especially as UT-Austin continues In fact, UT-Austin had hired Deutser and his at a campus minstrel show where students likely to implement its plan to become a more welcom- company to two contracts worth up to $1.1 million wore blackface. ing campus. to revamp the image of the alma mater, along with Some students characterized the meetings “We have really amazing faculty, Black faculty, broader organizational projects including a new held after the university’s report was released as [people of color] faculty that do [diversity, equity communication and engagement strategy for the “lectures” where they felt Deutser tried to convince and inclusion] work and do it really well and teach university, and defining “what it means to be a Long- them of the school’s position on the song, rather students,” Nonot said. “I wish that the university horn,” according to copies of the contracts obtained than foster a true dialogue or respond to student would rely more on the resources that we already by The Texas Tribune through an open records re- concerns. Other students said they were confused have so we can have those hard conversations.” quest. by his presence and felt like he didn’t take their Disclosure: University of Texas at Austin has Ultimately, the committee’s report concluded opinions seriously. been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a the intent of the song was “not overtly racist,” and “These historical facts add complexity and rich- nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is could not find primary documents that tied the ness to the story of a song that debuted in a racist funded in part by donations from members, foun- phrase to Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, as previ- setting, exceedingly common for the time, but, as dations and corporate sponsors. Financial support- ously asserted by some members of the school com- the preponderance of research showed, had no rac- ers play no role in the Tribune's journalism. NFL Will Texas Supreme Court Play the Extends State Program ‘Black to Help Tenants Avoid Eviction Until Oct. 1 National by Allyson Waller | Texas Tribune Anthem’ Before Every (AP Photo/Rick Osentoski, File) Sports. ary, during which players from pain.” (TEXAS TRIBUNE) - A state eviction diversion Game The multi-million from the Kansas City He closed the se- program launched in response to the COVID-19 pan- dollar investment is part Chiefs and the Tampa ries of tweets by refuting demic has been extended, according to a new emer- Jaelen Ogadhoh of the NFL’s Inspire Bay Buccaneers linked those who claim the gency order from the Texas Supreme Court released TheGrio Change initiative, ad- arms in solidarity. song is divisive, saying it on Monday. vised by rapper and busi- Although it didn’t isn’t just for Black people The diversion program was set to expire on July (THEGRIO) - The NFL ness mogul Jay-Z. happen until the Super to acknowledge, but for 27. The new order extends it until Oct. 1. has announced it will play “Lift Every Voice Bowl, the NFL consid- anyone who wants to In September, Gov. Greg Abbott announced the the Black National An- and Sing” was written by ered implementing the “press toward a better creation of the Texas Eviction Diversion Program and them, “Lift Every Voice civil rights activist James song as early as week 1 future.”The NFL heavily said the state would use $171 million in federal and Sing,” before each Weldon Johnson and of the 2020 season. Jack- increased its commit- CARES Act funding for rental assistance and legal game in the 2021-22 sea- composed by his brother sonville Jaguars player ment to racial justice is- services for Texans facing eviction. The program son as part of a $250 mil- John Rosamond Johnson Chris Conley responded sues in 2020, responding originally included 19 counties before expanding lion investment towards in 1900. Per the NAACP, to the league’s early con- to the Black Lives Matter statewide in February. social justice. the song became a “ral- siderations when news movement as well as the Monday’s order also allows a judge to post- The league will also lying cry” for Black first broke last June. backlash directed to- pone the eviction for 60 days if a landlord has a continue many of the Americans during the “For those who ward the league for its pending application for the program on behalf of a social justice initiatives Civil Rights Movement aren’t familiar with it, handling of peaceful tenant or if both parties say they’re interested in implemented last sea- of the 1950s and 60s. this song seeks to re- protests such as the participating. son, including featuring This is not the mind us of our past as a kneeling popularized by To be eligible for the diversion program, ten- messages of antiracism league’s first time ac- country and to strive to Colin Kaepernick in past ants must have an active eviction case and a house- and unity on helmets knowledging the song — be better,” he continued. years. hold income either at or below 80% of the median and the field, and com- an Alicia Keys perfor- “It speaks to all of us not The MLB also an- income in their area. In February, the state intro- municating to fans mance of Lift Every Voice just black people even nounced on Monday that duced a $1.3 billion statewide rent relief program through signage and and Singwas featured tho it became a rallying it is contributing $150 mil- that also aids tenants with rental assistance to pre- public service an- before the playing of The cry for blacks in the Jim lion to increasing Black vent housing instability or potential eviction. A por- nouncements, per re- Star-Spangled Bannerat Crow era. It is a beauti- representation within the tion of that money also helps to fund the eviction ports by Front Office Super Bowl 55 in Febru- ful message birthed sport of baseball. diversion program.