Black college students protesting, marching, punching holes in the sky with their fists. No longer asking or requesting, but in fact demanding that their grievances be taken seriously. They say they are fed up, and they simply won’t take it anymore.
It’s starting to feel a bit like the ‘60s all over again, or at least what some of us were told the ‘60s was supposed to be about. The question is whether this is a good thing (student engagement, activism, speaking out) or whether it is a bracing commentary on how little has changed since those days of peace, love, and revolution.
So are the increasingly loud voices of black college students the beginning of momentous change that will hopefully precipitate a more harmonious and communal atmosphere through thoughtful, introspective dialogue? The change that black students from my generation and those from nearly two decades earlier thought they were achieving? Or is this one of those ‘here we go again’ moments in history?
What’s going on with our college students?
Last week (and the week before), before the news from Paris stole the headlines, it was the University of Missouri that was among the top local stories being discussed around the country when the university’s football team decided to go on strike as a (very effective) means of joining their fellow students in protesting what they viewed as a far too lackadaisical response from school administrators to numerous blatant acts of racism taking place on campus. The actual protest began when graduate student Jonathan Butler began a solo hunger strike, but (no surprise) it wasn’t until the threat of no college football hovered over the campus that panic began to set in and the cameras started showing up for real.
Since that time, black students on college campuses throughout the nation – including Eastern Michigan University – have stood up in solidarity with “Mizzou,” echoing their similar complaints and experiences. For those who follow Twitter, #ConcernedStudent1950 has become the rallying hashtag uniting students and supporters.
Both University of Missouri President Tim Wolfe and Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin have since resigned, and even Professor Stephanie Shonekan, who serves as chair of the Department of Black Studies, agrees that the administration has been awakened to the seriousness of the situation.
“I think things are calming down. We certainly don’t want it to return to normal because that would be back to where it used to be. We want things to continue to evolve,” she said. “I think some very thoughtful planning needs to take place. … We need to be very engaged in thinking about why we cannot allow racism or human hierarchy to prevail, making sure that we come up with steps. We shouldn’t be working at cross purposes.”
Shonekan added, in response to a question, that the frustration and anger that ignited the protests was indeed symptomatic of a frustration and anger that had been building on Mizzou’s campus for quite some time.
Detroit native Mario Morrow Jr., who is currently a junior at DePaul University and was elected to be this year’s president of the Black Student Union, said he and his fellow black students could definitely relate to what was going on at Mizzou, even though he doesn’t think the racism at DePaul is quite as blatant or harsh.
“The racial issues that are happening at Mizzou, we also see happening at DePaul, but Mizzou is happening at such a higher degree. We don’t have white students walking up to us and calling us the ‘n’ word, or racist signs hanging around, or nooses. We don’t have those types of issues, but we do see a lot of microaggressions that happen within the classroom and then on the campus between white students and black students,” he said.
Morrow said he is already in the process of strategizing and organizing with five other BSU presidents at Chicago-area colleges, including the University of Chicago, University of Illinois at Chicago, Loyola University, Roosevelt University, and Columbia College. The ultimate goal is to create a sort of united front through an agreed-upon collaborative executive board that can collectively present their issues, agendas and goals to their respective administrations. This weekend he will attend a national summit meeting of black student unions, to be held in Whitewater, Wisconsin. He plans to deliver a report on that event for the Chronicle.
Morrow said that the Black Student Union serves as a much-needed space for healing, relaxing, and rejuvenation on a campus like DePaul, which is predominantly white. Morrow estimates the black population to be somewhere around 8 percent, out of a total student population of nearly 24,000, although he notes there was huge influx of 306 black freshmen this year, as compared to the roughly 160-170 black students in his own class.
“This room is the family that we all have on this campus” where BSU comes together, he said. “Because once we leave this room and we separate, you know, that’s when things start to get different again.”
Morrow said that prior to this year, BSU meetings would be doing good to attract 60 students, but this years huge influx drew nearly all the new students to want to participate.
“A lot of students say that the reason they came to BSU was to find the belonging. We try to reinforce that family aspect of the Black Student Union,” helping each other out with networking, socializing, homework, making sure they get as much scholarship money as possible.”
Terry Neal, a 1989 graduate of the University of Missouri and a former reporter for the Washington Post and the Miami Herald, expressed concern that the situation at his alma mater may be worse now than when he was a student there. Although he readily concedes there was racism at Mizzou when he was a student, and more than a few memorable incidents, he also says he got an excellent education there. He responded to several questions via email.
“Frankly it seems to me that maybe things have actually gotten worse than when I was there. I do think there’s something going on here that’s part of a larger social phenomenon…There was a lot of racism when I was at Mizzou in the 80s, as there was in America. But as America has changed, there appears to be a backlash from the right about what they see as political correctness and progressive politics infringing or intruding on their culture. To be honest, I can’t even recall seeing the Confederate flag flying anywhere when I was in Columbia (Missouri). But students are talking about people openly displaying it on their trucks or in their dorm rooms, etc. I think this is happening not in spite of but BECAUSE of the move to create a more tolerant, progressive society. It’s as though those who don’t buy into this movement are become more brazen about their racism as a way of rebelling. The Confederate flag has always been a more powerful symbol of resistance when racist whites believe their rights are being taken away.”
When asked if he was at all surprised by the student protests, Neal said that the response by the football players was what surprised him the most.
“I was a little surprised by the student protest.
When I was at Mizzou years ago, there were a number of racial incidents that caused black students to stand up and protest and demand better treatment. I could go into greater detail, but I believe the demands made by black students and alumni around this time — the late 80s — led to a sincere recognition that university needed to work much harder to diversity. When I was there, the black population of the school was only around 3 or 4 percent. It’s now up around 7 percent, which still isn’t great, but much better than it was. Now having said that, I was totally surprised by the football players joining the protest. Not just because it’s Mizzou, either — but because, well, when have you ever heard of such a thing? I thought it was incredibly bold, and I was really taken aback. Mizzou is a big football school, and the players are really treated as demigods. They seemingly live in a different world. But this showed that even they are not immune to the stings of micro- and macro-aggressions that other minority students experience.”
So what can be done?
“Good question. I’ll be honest with you, while I don’t want this to be seen as critical of the student protesters at all — I’m proud of them for standing up for principle — I believe that racist actually get a perverse sense of satisfaction and joy from thinking they caused such a hullaballoo. Listen, the adults can’t make racism go away. I have no problem with the demand for the president to resign. But neither he nor anyone else can make people stop calling other people the n-word. Having said that, the university’s leaders can send a strong message about inclusion, diversity and the lack of tolerance for intolerance and outline specific steps to address — not solve — the problem. The president failed at that. But as I said in my FB post, I’m not going to starve myself to death because racism exists. It always has. It always will. If I were talking to the students, I’d first commend them. And then I’d advise them to come up with a list of things they want. Make them tangible and doable and realistic. It can’t just be, we’re mad because racism.”
Not surprisingly, one of the best – and most welcome – responses to the student protests came from President Barack Obama, who delivered his reaction during an interview last week with ABC News’ Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos.
“There is clearly a problem at the University of Missouri, and that’s not just coming from students. That’s coming from some faculty,” the president told Stephanopoulos Thursday at the White House. “I think it is entirely appropriate for students in a thoughtful, peaceful way to protest what they see as injustices or inattention to serious problems in their midst.
“I want an activist student body just like I want an activist citizenry, and the issue is just making sure that even as these young people are getting engaged, getting involved, speaking out that they’re also listening,” he added. “I’d rather see them err on the side of activism than being passive.”
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