Professor Henry Louis “Skip” Gates, who directs the W.E.B. Du Bois Institute at Harvard University, was arrested at his Cambridge, Mass. home on Thursday, July 16.
The incident began when one of Gates’ white neighbors called local police and reported that two black men were attempting to break into his residence. The two black men were actually Gates and a car company driver who were trying to open a jammed front door lock.
Cambridge police officers later arrived at the scene and questioned Gates. From there, the accounts differ.
The officers allege that Gates was uncooperative, accused them of racism, and made a “your mama” insult against one of the policemen. Gates claims that an officer placed him under arrested after he repeatedly requested that man’s name and badge number.
Gates was charged with “disorderly conduct” and taken to the police station. He is being represented by Charles Ogletree, a black Harvard law professor who served as an influential teacher to now-U.S. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama during their studies at Harvard Law School.
The Boston Globe reports that numerous black students and faculty have complained about racial profiling by campus and city police. Ogletree has helped many such men and women file formal grievances throughout his years at the university.
Read the police report here and Ogletree’s statement on behalf of Gates here.
The incident began when one of Gates’ white neighbors called local police and reported that two black men were attempting to break into his residence. The two black men were actually Gates and a car company driver who were trying to open a jammed front door lock.
Cambridge police officers later arrived at the scene and questioned Gates. From there, the accounts differ.
The officers allege that Gates was uncooperative, accused them of racism, and made a “your mama” insult against one of the policemen. Gates claims that an officer placed him under arrested after he repeatedly requested that man’s name and badge number.
Gates was charged with “disorderly conduct” and taken to the police station. He is being represented by Charles Ogletree, a black Harvard law professor who served as an influential teacher to now-U.S. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama during their studies at Harvard Law School.
The Boston Globe reports that numerous black students and faculty have complained about racial profiling by campus and city police. Ogletree has helped many such men and women file formal grievances throughout his years at the university.
Read the police report here and Ogletree’s statement on behalf of Gates here.
UPDATE (2:25PM): The AP reports that the Cambridge Police Department has dropped all charges against Professor Gates.