Riot at U. of I.
race relations
John O'Brien
ProQuest Historical Newspapers: Chicago Tribune (1849-1989)
The Chicago Tribune
September 11, 1968
English
text
Project 500: 'Not Racist'
Project 500/Special Educational Opportunities Program (SEOP)
David Eisenman, a graduate student on the chancellor's committee charged with implementing Project 500, explains mechanics of the 500 program to the Daily Illini and dispels popular myths about the program.
Daily Illini newspaper
University of Illinois Archives
Daily Illini
Saturday, May 25, 1968
N/A
N/A
N/A
PDF
English
Document
N/A
N/A
Habari Newsletter
University of Illinois
The "Habari Newsletter" began circulating in 1984, because the African Studies program began to flourish at this time. This publication started as a text-based, newsletter for African American alumni. Initially, it primarily discussed programs on campus and contained a letter from the department director. As time went on, this newsletter evolved. The last physical publication (pictured on the left above) was in 2009-2010, and the newsletter is now entirely virtual (and can be found <a href="http://www.afrst.illinois.edu/habari/">here</a>). "Habari" now features local artwork, interviews with African Studies professors and other experts, and articles on a variety of subjects--including articles that profile the fascinating places that African Studies researchers go.
UIUC Center for African Studies
http://www.afrst.illinois.edu/habari/2012/
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
2008-2010
image
Record-Breaking Arrest
race relations
The Chicago Tribune
Clarence Shelley's Collection
June 23, 2003
image
African American Athletes Before 1968: Claude "Buddy" Young
<iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/CZA0g_sQcqY" frameborder="0" width="480" height="360"></iframe>
Video: Claude "Buddy" Young Scores a Touchdown Against Pitt (1944)
Racist attitudes were prevalent on campus and in America in the 1940's but sports fans were willing to make exceptions to cheer for exceptional black athletes. This video shows African American running back Claude "Buddy" Young scoring a touchdown against Pittsburgh in an October 1944 game to the cheers of whites in the audience. However, it is important to note that not even athletes were exempted from racial discrimination in businesses and housing as even Buddy Young could not get his hair cut in the white barbershops of Champaign.
"Buddy Young run vs pitt - YouTube." YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZA0g_sQcqY (accessed May 7, 2013).
October 21, 1944
Extra
- Project 500
race relations
Given on September 7, 1968 at Allerton Park, two days before the incident at the Union, this speech discussed what role Illini Guides played in welcoming the new students. The speech explained that Project 500 students came from backgrounds that may be very different than what other University of Illinois students came from. The outline encouraged guides to be as helpful as they could to Project 500 students in order to make them feel welcome in their dorms. The conditions in their dorms were directly related to the incident at the Union.
Miriam A. Sheldon
University of Illinois Archives
September 7, 1968
University of Illinois Archives
text
Demands of the Black Students Association
BSA
Following the incident at the Illini Union, the BSA created a list of their demands from the University.
Black Students Association
University of Illinois Archives
Black Student Association
Fall 1968
University of Illinois Archives
text
Cultural Centers
Cultural Centers Today
"In 1969 the African American Cultural Center was created with the two-fold purpose of assisting the University in providing a safe and welcoming environment for African American students and a resource to the campus at-large regarding African American contributions and issues."
This quote from the homepage of the Bruce D. Nesbitt African American Cultural Center helps lay out the purpose of the Cultural Center. After initially being criticized for being ineffective (top), the African American House began to be known as a true cultural center. The success of the student unity that this institution brought (center) helped to spark the creation of other Cultural Centers as well. La Casa followed in 1974. The Asian American Cultural Center (bottom) was founded in 2005 and the Native American House followed shortly afterwards.
1. Irepodun: The Black Yearbook (1972)
2. Daily Illini, Illini Publishing Company
3. studentaffairs.illinois.edu/diversity/bnaacc
University of Illinois Archives
text, image
University of Illinois Black Chorus
<iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/nnq6nqBnRjQ" frameborder="0" width="560" height="315"></iframe>
Song: "Refuge" by K. Edward Copeland & Ollie Watts-Davis
The University of Illinois Black Chorus was founded by four music-loving students in 1968. Later, in 1969, the chorus was co-sponsored by the School of Music Choral Division and the African-American Cultural Program.
Now, the UI Black Chorus is a very well-respected program, made up of students, staff and community members. This group has performed around the entire country, with the Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra and at the National Black Gospel College Choir Workshop.
University of Illinois School of Music
YouTube
The UI Black Chrous
October 13, 2011
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Video
Furniture in the Union
race relations
University of Illinois Archives
September 10, 1968
image