What the hell is he supposed to do? Cause a scene at a party surrounded by staff and teammates?
In 2011, as one of the newer members of the ECHL's Colorado Eagles, the Nigerian-born Aliu was invited to the team's Halloween party, but he was told to "come a little bit later" - an instruction he didn't think too much about at the time, Aliu told The Wall Street Journal's Andrew Beaton.
Aliu said he arrived at the party to find Tony Deynzer, the team's head equipment manager, in blackface while wearing an Afro-style wig and an Eagles jersey with Aliu's No. 78 and nickname - "Dreamer" - stitched on the back.
Those attending the party - including Aliu's teammates, staff members, management, and some of their families - encouraged the two to take a picture together, which Aliu shared with Beaton:
The Wall Street Journal
"Guys just started laughing," Aliu said. "All I can do is tell my story."
Aliu, who said he didn't see anyone else at the party who was black, posed for the picture because he didn't want to cause a scene. He said he felt trapped and in shock, and then called his brother immediately afterward.
"I didn’t even grasp the idea of how vicious of a thing that is to do," Aliu said.
https://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/1903312/equipment-manager-went-to-2011-halloween-party-in-blackface-dressed-as-aliu