The writer is referring to a movie of the same name, Dear White People, and I saw it. That movie explores racial hypocrisy at a college. Back to the article... I was interested in understanding the perspective offered and found it to be very helpful.

My preference had been 'black makeup', not 'blackface' to describe what the professor wore. But considering where I started and where I am now, I couldn't care less which words are used. It may as well rest with 'blackface' considering the mockery she made of Tweedy's appearance even if it was unwitting. Whatever you want to label it as, she made "a boneheaded decision." The RG indicated "blackface makeup" in that same sentence...astute.