“The Eyes of Texas” Report Finds “No Racist Intent” Behind Song – By Evan Bleier (Inside Hook) / Mar 10 2021
The University of Texas at Austin’s school song was first played at a minstrel show
Despite the fact that the University of Texas at Austin’s school song “The Eyes of Texas” debuted at a minstrel show, the long-awaited report from the school about the tune has concluded there was “no racist intent” behind the song.
Though the report did find “systemic racial intent existed in the setting and culture where the song debuted,” committee members concluded the motive behind the song itself was parody, not racism.
“Research by the committee has uncovered important facts and historical context, some of which has never been systematically compiled and analyzed until now,” the report states. “These historical facts add complexity and richness to the story of a song that debuted in a racist setting, exceedingly common for the time, but, as the preponderance of research showed, had no racist intent in that it was intended to parody the famous phrases of the university president.”
Chaired by Richard Reddick, UT’s College of Education associate dean for equity, community engagement and outreach, the committee was tasked with researching the song’s history and place in school history.
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