Councilwoman Ophelia Gooden Rodgers Accused of Using Racial Slur Toward Dr. Oliver Davis Jr.

Logan Foster
Feb 26
4 min read

February 21st Press Conference Located At the First Floor of the County City Building

Councilwoman Ophelia Gooden Rodgers Accused of Using Racial Slur Toward Dr. Oliver Davis Jr. Date: 02/26/25 Author: Logan Foster South Bend, Indiana — Dr. Oliver Davis Jr., a seasoned and respected member of the South Bend Common Council, has come forward with accusations of harassment and derogatory language used against him by South Bend's 2nd District Councilwoman, Ophelia Gooden Rodgers.

According to Dr. Davis, the incident took place after a public rules committee meeting on February 20th, 2025. During a February 21st press conference, Dr. Davis stated that Councilwoman Rodgers directed a racial slur toward him, saying, "You looked terrible. You looked like a down-low n****. You look like a down-low n**** and you sitting up there and you have a doctorate. I don't respect that. I don't respect your doctorate. Nobody respects your doctorate."

Dr. Davis, visibly disturbed by the encounter, recounted the exchange during the press conference, emphasizing the weight and harm of such language.

"I said to her, ‘The people of South Bend have elected me to this council four times. They respect my doctorate. They respect who I am. You don’t call me a n**** just because I’m Black.’" Davis noted. He further condemned the use of the racial epithet regardless of the context or the race of the individual using it. “A n**** is a n**** no matter who says it—whether it’s a Black person, white person, green person, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, whoever. Don't take me back there. Don't do that.”

Tensions Highlight Broader Issues

The contentious remarks were made after another member of the Common Council, Vice President Rachel Thomas Morgan and Council Attorney Bob Palmer, attempted to have Dr. Davis removed from the public Rules Committee meeting just moments before it started. Vice President Tomas Morgan approached a seated Dr. Davis and in an interaction that can only be described as Tomas Morgan standing in Dr. Davis’ personal space for a period of several minutes while attempting to argue her perspective on the matter.

Dr. Davis stated that he has previously faced attempts to silence or remove him from meetings, citing a similar incident in the past year. During the press conference, Davis likened his resistance to being forcibly relocated during the meeting to Rosa Parks’ historic defiance, underscoring his refusal to leave his seat without a legitimate rule being cited.

Additionally, Dr. Davis noted that attorney Bob Palmer attempted to involve law enforcement to have Dr. Davis removed from the meeting. The attending South Bend police officer refused, adhering to protocol and de-escalating the situation. Dr. Davis publicly thanked the South Bend Police Department Officer: "I must praise our South Bend public (and) our South Bend police officers, because the South Bend police officer educated our attorney who should have known the rules about the fact that he is not going to get involved in a non-disorderly situation,..."

Community Response

The incident has sparked significant outrage within the community. Local NAACP President Trina Robinson strongly condemned the actions of Vice President Rachel Tomas Morgan and highlighted the persistent issue of systemic racism.

"There is absolutely no reason why a Black man has to have someone stand over him as if he's a second-class citizen. I don't care if it's a Black woman, a white woman, a green woman, or whatever. You have to respect one another and for her to do what she did is totally disrespectful."

Other community leaders, including representatives from advocacy groups and concerned citizens, echoed similar sentiments. Former South Bend City Clerk Dawn Jones publicly commended Dr. Davis for maintaining composure during moments of provocation.

"I'm concerned about the video that I saw. What I saw was provocation and I know within the school corporation, we would suspend students for provocation". Jones continued "I'm very proud of Dr. Davis and him holding his composure the way that he did and understanding that what would happen to him as an African-American male standing up."

Calls for Accountability

Dr. Davis said he will be filing formal grievances against both Councilwoman Rodgers and Councilwoman Thomas Morgan, as well as Council Attorney Robert (Bob) Palmer.

Dr. Davis expressed hope that the uproar would encourage South Bend residents to stay engaged in local government. He emphasized the importance of increased attendance at public meetings to hold elected officials accountable.

"And people need to come to meetings, they need to watch the meetings, they need to do that because when more people are watching, people behave better.," Davis remarked, urging community involvement to ensure greater transparency and accountability.

Next Steps

The South Bend Common Council has yet to issue an official statement regarding Ophelia Gooden Rodger's use of a racial slur towards Dr. Davis. Community advocates and civic groups have vowed to continue pressing for accountability and change, standing in solidarity with Dr. Davis while calling for respect and equity in public office. This story is still developing. Stay tuned for updates as more information becomes available.

For any missing context on the events that have led up to this article, please visit: "South Bend’s Common Council Vice President Rachel Tomas Morgan’s Attack On Councilman Dr. Oliver Davis CAUGHT ON VIDEO"

The Full Press Conference: