An entire student fraternity has been kicked off a university campus in the US southern state of Oklahoma after its members were recorded taking part in a racist chant.

Members of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity were recorded chanting words to the effect that their organisation would never admit a black member.

The chant used offensive language, including the term "nigger", and included references to lynchings.

Oklahoma University president David Boren responded immediately.

"This has broken my heart that this could happen on our campus," he said.

Black students on campus said they were disgusted by the video, but not surprised.

"This is the first time it's been public, but this isn't the first time it's happened," an unnamed student said.

African American student Megan Johnson said she was not surprised by the incident.

"These racist situations happen every day and we encounter them. It took this group of students to be on camera and caught for it to get national attention."

Sigma Alpha Epsilon's national body apologised, but the damage of the video — recorded on the 50th anniversary of a major civil rights protest in the south — was likely to be lasting.

Protests had already broken out in the southern United States after the mobile phone video was released online by a black student organisation called Unheard.

By dawn the next morning, protesters had gathered outside the fraternity's campus headquarters, joined by the University president.

"These values are not our values, we are different kinds of people," Mr Boren said.

"It's very hurtful to think that our community, which was so strong and so positive in so many ways, is being held up by a few people, and I want to say it will not be tolerated."

Fraternity banned from returning to campus

Mr Boren promised Sigma Alpha Epsilon would never return to the campus while he remained in charge.

"That house is immediately closed, that is why those young men will have to hand their belongings out of the house by midnight tomorrow. And as they pack their bags, I hope they think long and hard about what they have done."

The chant was filmed on the same day thousands gathered in the neighbouring state of Alabama, in the city of Selma, to mark 50 years since one of the key moments of the black civil rights struggle.

The national leadership of Sigma Alpha Epsilon issued a statement.

"We apologise for the unacceptable and racist behaviour of the individuals in the video, and we are disgusted that any member would act in such a way," it said.

The fraternity was formed in the deep south in the years before the Civil War.

It had a proud list of alumni but more recently it had become known for the deaths of members in alcohol, drug, and hazing-related incidents.

It is now under pressure to explain a culture of racism as well.