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Running head: BLACK STUDENT ACTIVISM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT

URBANA-CAMPAIGN

Black Student Activism at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Campaign

Ayanna Williams

Loyola University Chicago

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Introduction

This essay will examine the parallels between Black student activism at the University of

Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) in the 1960s-1970s, and current Black student activism as

we see today on the Illinois campus. I will particularly focus on 1967-1975, when Black student

enrollment rapidly increased at UIUC. I will specifically focus on two common themes apparent

in the 41 Demands of Black students in the 1960s and 70s and the 2014 #BeingBlackAtIllinois

Demands: recruitment and enrollment of Black students. First, I will take a brief look at the state

of the campus in the past and present and the societal context. Next, I will explore Black

recruitment, specifically focusing on two initiatives unique to Illinois: the Special Educational

Opportunities Program (SEOP) of 1968 and Project 500 of 1968. As a leader in the 2014

movement, I will refer to my own experiences and frame it within the larger context of student

activism at UIUC. Then I will analyze the progress, or lack thereof, of Project 500 as it pertains

to Black students today in the #BeingBlackAtIllinois movement.

Many people view the wave of Black student activism, demands, and protests as new and

revolutionary when that is simply not the case. This exploration hopes to convey the parallels

between systematic university issues Black students have been facing for decades. The spirit of

the 41 Demands of the 1960s and 1970s are very present in the demands of

#BeingBlackAtIllinois of 2014. Many issues of the past manifest itself in various ways and the

fight has simply continued and been passed down to the succeeding generations. Black students

at Illinois are still dealing with the issues that Black students in the 60s and 70s faced. This is

reflective of predominately white institutions (PWIs) across the nation. It is also a microcosm
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for the larger American society in regards to Black social movements, such as the past Civil

Rights Movement and the current #BlackLivesMatter movement.

Many think we live in a colorblind society. Times can not possibly be like they were

during the 60s and 70s during the Civil Rights Movement and the assassination of Martin Luther

King Jr. This assumption is far from the truth as seen through the hostile racial campus climate

and Black student activism throughout the history at UIUC. Decades later after the Civil Rights

era, Inclusive Illinois has made a commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive campus

climate, yet the racial tension from the 60s and 70s still lingers and has manifested in various

forms ranging from microagressions to blatant racism. During 2013 and 2014, a wave of Black

student activism on social media and through campus demonstrations hit the nation by storm.

Various Black Student Unions and Black students created hashtags for their university students

to express the individual and institutionalized racism they faced on a daily basis, such as

University of Michigans #BBUM (Being Black at the University of Michigan) in response to a

White fraternitys Hood Ratchet Thursday Black stereotypical and racist themed party (Byng,

2014).

In Spring 2014, #BeingBlackAtIllinois was created by a core group of Black student

leaders. That Spring semester, they sent a list of demands outlining the needs of Black students

at Illinois pertaining to a more diverse faculty and staff, diversity education requirements to

foster genuine multicultural competency, improved retention and recruitment methods, and a

new African American Cultural Center (lovingly known as the Black House) to provide a facility

that was not rapidly deteriorating like the current center and to meet the increased programmatic

needs of all students. These demands were created in response to the hostile racial tension and

climate on a campus that had a proud commitment to inclusion and diversity through their
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mission statement (Senate Committee on Equal Opportunity and Inclusion, 2015). Supporting

documents for the #BeingBlackAtIllinois movement included a Mission Statement, Letter from

Black students and a 70 page comprehensive assessment/document about the deteriorating state

of the current African American Cultural Center (BeingBlackAtIllinois, 2014).

UIUC Student Activism: The 60s and 70s

Black students at Illinois in the 1960s and 70s experienced intense individual and

institutionalized racism from the Ku Klux Klan, Jim Crow era, and oppressive legislation.

According to Williamson (2013), the University of Illinois, genuinely believed that

universities had an important role to play in alleviating racial injustice and took steps to use their

campuses as tools for societal reform (p. 56) during that time period. The institution was

challenged further by President Johnsons Executive Order Number 11246 in 1965 that stated

that government contractors will take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed,

and that employees are treated without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, or national

origin (as cited in Williamson, 2013). After the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. on

April 4, 1968, the pressure to expedite the progress towards race relations at UIUC was in full

effect.

At a time where Black students at UIUC were undervalued and deprived of an exemplary

Illini student experience, the Black Student Association (BSA) served as the leading voice to be

the change that Black students needed and wanted to see. On February 18, 1969 a list of 41

revolutionary demands from Black students to university administrators was published in an

issue of Black Rap during Black history month (Jordan, 2014). These Black Demands derived

from Black students experiences and ways to improve this experience by increasing African
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American faculty and staff and allocating funds to resources, recruitment initiatives, and

retention efforts (Black Student Association, 1969). These demands were created in response to

the hostile racial tension and climate on the Illinois campus that once embraced the Ku Klux

Klan as a registered student organization in the early 20th century (illiarch, 2013).

UIUC Student Activism: Present Day

In regards to Black students at Illinois in the 60s and 70s, Williamson (2013) stated, We

hope for nothing; we demand everything (p. 112). Her statement embodies the spirit of the

2014 #BeingBlackAtIllinois movement in regards to being the change they wanted to see. As

the incidents at Mizzou continue to be a prominent example of Black student activism in

predominately white institutions, it is no surprise that the racial incidents and tension are nothing

foreign to universities throughout the country. In 2013 and 2014 there was also a wave of Black

student activism through the use of social media and campus demonstrations in order to raise

racial awareness and improve the campus climate at PWIs. One of them being the

#BeingBlackAtIllinois movement at UIUC.

Various Black students at Illinois, who make up only 5% of the student body according to

UIUCs Division of Enrollment Management (2015), experience various forms of adversity from

their peers, faculty/staff, and other institutional factors. One day, a White student wore a

culturally offensive sweatshirt during class and a picture was taken of it. The picture

immediately went viral on campus through means of social media. This sparked momentum

within myself (a co-founder of the movement) and the Black community to take action and

planted a seed for the #BeingBlackAtIllinois movement.

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As an executive board member of the Central Black Student Union, I sent dozens of

emails to administration professionals asking for advice on how to proceed with this matter.

Should Black students shun the perpetrator by protesting on the Quad? Should Black students

have another town hall meeting where the turnout always primarily consists of Black students

and lacks those who perpetrate oppression? Should Black students seek and promote policies

that are in place to promote the universitys commitment to social justice, diversity, and

inclusion? My frustration led me to lead a Call to Action meeting where Black student leaders

met and constructed a plan for action. With the assistance of graduate mentors, Black solidarity,

and the framework of other Black student movements across the nation, the

#BeingBlackAtIllinois movement was born.

It initially started as a demonstration on the Quad where students held posters stating

their experiences with institutionalized racism and microagressions. Students also wore duck

tape over our mouths with the hash tag #BeingBlackAtIllinois to symbolize that it was no

longer their responsibility to educate their non-students of color about how their privilege and

how their actions impact marginalized populations. As a result of this demonstration, campus

administration immediately responded. What they thought was a simple hashtag and act on the

Quad evolved into a continuous working relationship between Black students and university

administration that would result in the genuine promotion of Illinoiss commitment to diversity

and inclusion. This was similar to the relationship between administration and the Illinois BSA

in the 60s and 70s as described by Williamson (2013).

The #BeingBlackAtIllinois movement was a microcosm of how Blacks have been

addressing institutionalized racism across the nation recently. For example, the

#BlackLivesMatter movement was created to fight the institutionalized racism within the
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nations legal and justice system in regards to police brutality and murder towards Blacks. The

#BeingBlackAtIllinois movement also grew to organize student #BlackLivesMatter protests, die-

ins and marches on campus to stand in solidarity with the national Black population (Stamm,

2015). This also applied pressure on the university to take action to ensure that university police,

Champaign police, and Urbana police have the best interest of Black students genuinely in mind.

This shows the parallels between Black students need to feel safe by the police today as well as

in the 60s and 70s. Police brutality towards Blacks has also been an ongoing institutionalized

issue as displayed in the 41 Demands (Black Student Association, 1969). The 41 Demands

addressed this issue by requiring in demand 25, That the University actively recruit and hire

Blacks as firemen and policemen (Black Student Association, 1969).

41 Demands: Recruitment and Student Enrollment

The BSAs (1969) 41 Demands document embodied the spirit and passion of the Black

Power Movement taking place at that time according to Williamson (2013). There were several

demands pertaining to Black recruitment at UIUC:

15. That the University fulfill its financial commitment to all students who are receiving

money for SEOP.

16. That the University make a public statement of its commitment to bring 500 students

to the University in September.

31. The University through B.G.S.A. (Black Graduate Student Association) recruit and

enroll 200 Black law students by 1972 and that the Black student enrollment be increased

by 500 pursuant to the proposed expansion of the Law School.

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39. We demand that the University create a scholarship fund, with particular interest

toward Black high school students in Champaign country to stimulate productiveness of

Black students in the Secondary Educational area.

After the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968, the pressure to expedite the progress

towards race relations at UIUC was in full effect. The university stepped up its game on its

affirmative action programming by creating the Special Education Opportunities Program

(SEOP) in early May, 1968 as a tool for recruiting more Black students to campus. Demand 15

was put in place to ensure the universitys financial commitment to the program. With the

influence of the BSA and administration, the Project 500 initiative was implemented under

SEOP to set a goal of recruiting at least 500 students of color with each incoming class. Demand

16 led to the university making its promise known to the public so that there was accountability.

UIUC was also able to secure a grant from the Ford Foundation to fund additional student

resources for the program, such as counseling, tutoring, recruiting, and orientation activities

(Williamson, 2013).

SEOP and Project 500 were unique to Illinois for two distinct reason: the ambition and

the high level of influence Black students had. The goal to enroll at least 500 Black students

within a year was unheard of by other PWIs. However, eventually the goal was miraculously

achieved. When looking at student enrollment from 1967-1975, Black student enrollment

progressed impressively. In 1967, total student enrollment was comprised of only 223 Black

students making up 1% of the student population (Williamson, 2013). After the program was

implemented in 1968, Black student enrollment increased 2% to 690 students (Williamson,

2013). Black student enrollment peaked to 4.5% in the early 1970s and then slowly declined in

the mid 1970s to about 3.6% (Williamson, 2013).

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#BeingBlackAtIllinois Demands: Recruitment and Enrollment Today

At the peak of Black student enrollment during that time period, total student enrollment

in Fall 1971 was 30,407 students. 44 years later, the total student enrollment has increased to

about 44,000 students in 2015. Ideally, the number of Black students should have equally

increased as well. Yet, according to UIUCs Division of Enrollment Management (2015), Black

students only make up 5% of the student population. Out of 7,222 freshmen in Fall 2015, there

were only 475 Black freshmen. The year before that in Fall 2014, there were only 356 Black

freshmen out of a total of 6,937 freshmen. That does not even reach the outdated and archaic

goal set by the universitys commitment to Project 500 in 1968. The last time the outdated goal

of Project 500 was met was in Fall 2008 with the low number of only 525 Black freshmen out of

7,299 freshmen.

There is a very clear parallel between the recruitment and retention needs of the Black

students from the 60s and 70s and the current Black students today. Black student enrollment

has either plateaued or declined throughout Illini history. As the institutions total enrollment

continues to grow exponentially, the Black student enrollment is getting left behind.

#BeingBlackAtIllinois leaders are currently pressuring the university to do two things pertaining

to Project 500 in order to increase Black student enrollment. First, the immediate action is for the

university to meet the Project 500 goal of enrolling at least 500 Black students. Secondly,

because this goal is so out of date and not progressive in regards to the increasing total student

population, the long term goal is for the university to revise, revamp, and reignite Project 500

and commit to a new and improved goal for Black student enrollment. It is my critique that this

plan of action should be revised and revamped periodically so that the universitys commitment
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to enrolling Black students is equal to a progressive ratio relative to the increasing total

university student population.

Conclusion

The university issues facing Black students tend to align with the larger societal struggles

going on at that time. The university reflects the larger American society. The alignment

between societal race issues and university race issues tend to parallel historical societal and

university issues as well. We see this through the example provided throughout this essay of

Black student activism at UIUC, the Civil Rights Movement, and the assassination of Dr. King

during the 60s and 70s and the modern day form of Black student activism at UIUC and the

nations #BlackLivesMatter movement against police brutality towards Blacks. The relationship

between UIUCs history and present day accounts of Black student activism is an example of

Black student activism at many PWIs across the nation. Change does not happen unless students

push for it.

Although this essay focused specifically on the parallels between Black student activism

in the 60s and 70s and present day in relation to recruitment and Black student enrollment, there

were many parallels in the historical and present day Black Illini student struggle. The parallels

are seen in both Black student demands documents where there are similarities in a push for

active recruitment, safe spaces like the African American Cultural Center, retention efforts,

increased Black faculty and staff at Illinois, revision of academia to promote diversity and

inclusion, the support of White allies with the Black demands, and the White student adversity

and racist responses to Black activism. Universities are microcosms of the larger American

society. As student affairs and higher education professionals, it is necessary to be aware of the
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historical connections of the past and current events in order to empower students to be the

change they wish to see and learn to navigate spaces to serve as a student activist ally

(Landreman, 2013).
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References

BeingBlackAtIllinois. (2014, April 14). Statement by the African American Student Body.

Retrieved December 5, 2015, from

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8YeY5UU4kyobWF0WG5pUzdvQ0k/preview?pli=1

Black Student Association. (1969, February 18). Black Demands. Retrieved December 5, 2015,

from http://archives.library.illinois.edu/wp-

content/uploads/2013/05/416840_6_BlackStudentsAssoc.pdf.

Byng, R. (2013, November 20). #BBUM Hashtag Sparks Dialogue About Diversity at the

University of Michigan. Retrieved December 5, 2015, from

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/20/bbum-university-of-michigan-black-

students_n_4310790.html

Division of Management Information. (2015). UIUC Student Enrollment. Retrieved December 5,

2015, from http://www.dmi.illinois.edu/stuenr/.

illiarch. (2012, October 15). Ku Klux Klan. Retrieved December 5, 2015, from

http://archives.library.illinois.edu/blog/ku-klux-klan/.

Jordan, A. (2014, February 19). Black Power on Campus, 1968-1969. Retrieved December 5,

2015, from http://archives.library.illinois.edu/blog/black-power-on-campus-1968-

1969/#note03.

Landreman, L. (Ed.). (2013). The art of effective facilitation: Reflections from social

justice educators. Sterling, VA: Stylus.

Stamm, C. (2015, January 23). Being Black at Illinois. Retrieved December 5, 2015, from

http://archives.library.illinois.edu/slc/black-illinois/.
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Senate Committee on Equal Opportunity and Inclusion. (2015). Mission. Retrieved December 5,

2015, from http://inclusiveillinois.illinois.edu/mission.html.

Williamson, J. A. (2003) Black power on campus: the University of Illinois, 1965-75.

Urbana: University of Illinois Press.