African-American Activism at the College of Wooster

by Scott McLellan, revised by Jordan Wilson

The Black Manifesto

A document with the title "The Black Student's Manifesto" that says, "We the black students of the College of Wooster feel that now is the time to make the long overdue changes needed on the campus. These changes are necessary to combat an enemy of the educational development of Black students on this campus and enable them to deal adequately in today's world. This enemy is institutional racism it is apparent throughout every aspect of the campus community. Institutional racism is by no means unique to the College of Wooster and is indeed prevalent throughout every aspect of the campus community. Institutional racism is by no means unique to the College of Wooster and is indeed prevalent throughout American society. We feel that in the few ares where society has made progressive steps forward, it has done so only as a result of a realistic confrontation with this phenomenon. Institutional racism has become so engendered within the American way of life that it is perpetrated by all those who are not aware of it. As we see it, the fact that only a few years ago the number of black students on this campus could be counted on one hand and is at such a low number today is the result of institutional racism. The fact that there are never more than two Black faculty on this campus is the result of a history of institutional racism. The fact that the black or non-white perspective has systematically been eliminated from the curriculum is again evidence of institutional racism. We are not concerned with personalities in making those observations. We can and intend to change institutions or situations even though attitudes remain the same. We attack no individual but intend to destroy institutional racism's ill effects on our people in any areas possible. We the members of the black student association are committed to a continuous struggle against these devices with are exploiting and suppressing. Black people, black communities, and the third world. Because the educational process is so important, the attack on institutional racism must begin here on this campus. We are asking all those who are interested and willing- faculty, administrators, students, and alumni- concerned with the educational system here as being a relevant one and dealing realistically in terms of todays world, to join with us in a battle which must be fought if America is to survive. In view of the urgency of the situation the following proposals are the areas which we feel the college community must commit itself to if it truly seeks to destroy institutional racism and the problems we face at the College of Wooster. 1. All faculty departments must undergo a re-evaluation in which it roots out all racism and discrimination against the non-white people and ideas of the world. a. All departments should make an extensive effort to hire at least one black faculty member. b. All social science and humanities courses should begin to include a realistic non-white perspective.

On November 6, 1969, a Thursday morning, the Black Student Association at the College of Wooster issued a declaration of change to the campus: 

“We the Black Students of the College of Wooster feel that now is the time to make the long overdue changes needed on the campus…[our] enemy is institutional racism and it is apparent throughout every aspect of the campus community.”1 

The Black Students’ Manifesto, now known to College historians as ‘The Black Manifesto,’ was both unique and ordinary. It was unremarkable that students, as well as faculty and administration, had already been concerned with issues of racism on Wooster’s campus. What sets the Manifesto apart from other formal statements, however, is the nature of its intentions; the student authors were sure to note that, while they were available for discussion of these concerns, “the days of idle rhetoric [were] long gone.” This is one of the first statements by Black students to show that they were tired of being put through the hoops of formal debate and administrative stalling. Unfortunately, student response to this statement was underwhelming; when asked about it in a survey by the campus paper, The Wooster Voice, few students responded to the question of whether or not to accept and acknowledge its demands.2 Many of the people who responded negatively did so because they had no idea what the Manifesto was. Fortunately, though, administration responded with the creation of a committee to address the issues addressed in the Manifesto, leading to the hiring of an admissions counselor whose mission was to increase Black student presence.3  Perhaps a distant foreshadowing of things to come, a 1980 review of response to the Black Manifesto showed that the Black campus community was rather disappointed with response to issues over the past decade.4 

Pictured left: The first page of the Black Students Manifesto, known more simply as the Black Manifesto. It listed the concerns of the collective Black student community on campus and proposed solutions to address those concerns.

Boilover: The Galpin Takeover

Tensions over the treatment of Black campus community members boiled over around 7 a.m. on a Thursday in April 1989. Led by twelve black students, anywhere from 100 to 200 students took the Galpin Administration building by storm. In protest of the institutional racism students observed on Wooster’s campus, and in response to recent incidents of racially charged violence, students occupied the building, locking out deans and administrators.5 Speaking to his comrades in demonstration, 20-year old student Robert Kennedy from Pittsburgh assured onlookers that, “we do not plan on leaving this building. …We plan on staying in here until our demands are met – next week if necessary.” Having sent previous correspondence to President Henry Copeland and the administration regarding racial campus issues in need of attention, the students took action after being, “tired of…[the] situation getting lost in the bureaucracy,” of administrative response and change. After thirteen hours of protest and hours of heated discussion between Copeland and students, some of the demands for change were met with affirmative commitment, effectively ending the protest around 8 p.m. that evening.6

Excerpt from the Wooster Daily Record with the headline, "Students Stage Sit-In at Galpin" that says “Students at the College of Wooster barricaded themselves inside Galpin Hall this morning, coming outside only to read a list of six demands for the college administration. According to concerned students spokesman Mark Goodman, a college junior, more than 100 students, both black and white, stood together behind the chained doors of the college's administration building which houses the offices of college president Henry Copeland, the dean of students and the school's academic affairs, admissions, college relations, development, finance and business departments. The sit-in began shortly before 7 this morning, Goodman said, when a group of students walked into the unlocked administration building. Staff members had not arrived for the day and once there, stood quietly by. in the parking lot. Students in support of the black students were allowed in the building through back doors, where windows were covered with signs reading “no talk until 9 a.m.” At 9 a.m. the building was still quiet and students said they did not believe those inside would make an appearance until college President Harry Copeland came to the hall. Godman read the group’s newest list of demands in response to. A memo issued Wednesday by Copeland. The president, who met with a group of black students Tuesday, said in his memo that the. College plans to increase the number of black faculty and the school registrar. However, Copeland said in his memo, “Whether the goal of 12 is reached will depend on the particular academic areas in which there are openings, the identification and selection of candidates by departments for those openings and the acceptance of offers from the college by those candidates.” Copeland said that the college had reached the goal of 12 black faculty members during the 1986-87 school year and hopes to reach that number again. In his memo Wednesday, Copeland all said he hopes to increase first-year black student enrollment to a minimum of 30 and stabilize at that level or higher." and includes a photograph of several college administrators standing outside of Galpin Hall.
A continuation of the Daily Record article that says "In addition, Copeland issued another memo to Sandeep Bhatia, new president f the college’s Campus council. That memo asks to have a college stance on racism incorporated into the school’s judicial code, which is currently being revised. That stance, according to Copeland’s second memo, should be “the College will not tolerate acts based upon racial bigotry and should investigate to the fullest extent of its ability any act of this kind… I believe if any member of our community is found to have committed such an act, the appropriate penalty is suspension of dismissal from the institution.” While one of the students’ demands is to hire more black faculty members, the group this morning reiterated some other demands first made March 31. Those demands include an administration push for a black studies requirement, a commitment to hire a black psychologist/counselor for the college’s health services, an increase of office space for the director of black student affairs, a competitive salary for the minority admissions officer, a financial aid advisor for black students and no acceptance of gifts from companies doing business with or in South Africa. In his memo Wednesday, Copeland said he will continue to look into possibilities for increasing employment opportunities for black staff and faculty members. If the demands of the black students are not met, Goodman said, they are prepared to ask for Copeland’s resignation, based on a “emo confidence vote by black student leaders”. Copeland could not be reached for a comment this morning."

This is an article from the Wooster Daily Record on April 20, 1989. It covered the protest, now known as the Galpin Takeover, put on by both Black and white students after a series of violent incidences against people of color on campus. Noted as a protest with both peaceful beginnings and ends, it led to the active implementation of changes for the African American campus community.

Citations

1 Ken McHargh & Black Student Association, The Black Students’ Manifesto, November 6, 1969. 
2 The Wooster Voice, May 8, 1970, 6. 
3 The Wooster Voice, February 2, 1973, 1-6. 
4 The Wooster Voice, November 7, 1980, 1-5. 
5 “150 College of Wooster students end sit-in,” Akron Beacon Journal, April 21, 1989; The Plain Dealer, April 1989 (Cleveland, Ohio). 
6 Henry Copeland, memorandum to College of Wooster Board of Trustees, April 20, 1989. 

How to cite this page

MLA: “African-American Activism at the College of Wooster.” stories.woosterhistory.org, http://stories.woosterhistory.org/exhibits/the-college-of-wooster/african-american-activism-at-the-college-of-wooster/. Accessed [today’s date].

Chicago: “African-American Activism at the College of Wooster.” stories.woosterhistory.org. http://stories.woosterhistory.org/exhibits/the-college-of-wooster/african-american-activism-at-the-college-of-wooster/. (accessed [today’s date]).

APA: (Year, Month Date). African-American Activism at the College of Wooster. stories.woosterhistory.org. http://stories.woosterhistory.org/exhibits/the-college-of-wooster/african-american-activism-at-the-college-of-wooster/