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Over 50 individuals crowded the Speaker’s Circle Wednesday evening. In unison the lyrics “lift every voice and sing, ‘til earth and heaven ring…” echoed through the campus.
These lyrics are drawn from the Black National Anthem by James Weldon Johnson, a song that kicked off this reenactment of the first Black Student Union march 40 years ago.
The BSU gathered with their members, other students, faculty and staff to commemorate the Feb. 25, 1970 march to the Administration Building.
“We want to emphasize that it’s a reenactment. So it’s not going to be an angry march or anything. We aren’t going to lock anyone in their office or anything,” Ashlee Philyaw, BSU social events chair and director of publications, said.
A brief history lesson
In 1970, the BSU stormed the Administration Building, locking then President James Fisher in his office and presenting him with a list of demands.
The hand-written demands included an office facility for the group, equipment for publications, $5,000 in a private bank account for the group and private mailing privileges.
Some of the group’s demands were met.
Back to the future
BSU continued their reenactment as they marched to the Administration Building.
Passerby’s attention was caught by, “quality education right now, by any means necessary we will fight,” and “together we stand, together we fight,” only making up a few of many chants heard throughout the march.
Signs were waved to students looking out library windows and cars passing by on York Road, reading, “We want 2b heard,” “kill racism,” and “I am not a nigger bitch,” to name a few.
“I think talking and singing and chanting gave people an idea of how those students [40 years ago] really felt. It comes nowhere close, but it’s a start,” BSU president Deverick Murray said.
SGA president Jon Graf described the event as “a history lesson.”
There were multiple administrators present throughout the march, including one who was at Towson when the former march took place.
“I was here when we had a very active BSU, I was here when the African-American Cultural Center was created. As a student I worked in the AACC,” Phillip Ross, associate vice president for human resources, said. “I have an appreciation for the history of this institution given the fact that I’ve been here 30 plus years as an employee and my years as a students prior to that.”
Ross describes diversity now as a lot more intricate. It used to just be a black and white issue; now, there are other nationalities and it’s important, he said. He describes society now as, “global.”
According to Ross, he would have liked to have seen more people but, “that’s indicative of continued development of interest,” he said.
Others in attendance included SGA senator Lauren McDade, associate vice president for campus life Teri Hall, Santiago Solis, senior director for the center for student diversity and more.
When the participants in the march reached the Administration Building, roughly 15 administrators were present, including provost Marcia Welsh and vice president for student affairs Deb Moriarty, who received the new set of demands.
“I think overall the black students on this campus feel as though the institution has not been as inclusive as it could be, and I think most of us agree that we could do a lot more,” Welsh said.
Welsh, who grew up in the ‘60s, said she really wanted to attend the march.
“I remember [in the ‘60s] students being active and students fighting against the Vietnam War. I have very good friends who were freedom fighters and actually went into the south and helped the black community,” Welsh said. “So for me it really is a little bit of going back and seeing how far we’ve come and how much further we still have to go.”
Speaker Julius Chapman also said he remembers those days. He was the first dean of minority affairs, now known as the center for student diversity, and he was also the adviser of the first BSU.
“I came to Towson in 1969, 40 years [ago], I can’t believe it,” Chapman said.
Murray said he was happy with the turnout and glad they could have a commemorative march to demonstrate what happened in the past and to celebrate history.
One person not in attendance was President Robert Caret, who, according to Welsh, had off-campus commitments.
Welsh said since the issues surrounded students and academic affairs, Caret felt that Moriarty and she would be best to accept the demands.
“I feel like the administration that was here was a nice support. We appreciate everyone that came out. We aren’t mad that anyone didn’t come out. But I think it does speak to who knows about what’s going on and who makes time for important things,” Murray said.
According to Marina Cooper, assistant to the president for external relations and communications, the president’s office is glad to hear the BSU is recognizing and commemorating the efforts of those who came before them and gave way to opportunities that so many on our campus enjoy today.
The demands were accepted and received a positive reaction from Moriarty and Welsh.
“I thought it was great… I think [the demands] are very reasonable. I think that, as with these kinds of things, on paper it always seems simple, but in putting things into reality it’s not always as easy as it seems,” Moriarty said.
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My appeal for students to check out an extraordinary “learning enhancement theory” called critical thinking was not meant to inflame but was offered as a conflict resolution tool to be utilized by all concerned. Critical thinking is not some fly by night “social justice” theory designed and/or endorsed by black folk to fight the system. The originator of this pedagogy – The Critical Thinking Foundation located in northern California – has been working in this research area for more than twenty five years. The website address is www.criticalthinking.org. This foundation has worked with enumerable institutions of higher education, the College Board, the National Education Association and the US Department of Education supplying course content, conferences and symposia on its intellectual building blocks and theories. I was only made aware of this phenomenal learning process several years ago while hosting a scholar that introduced the methodology to her class.
The class was a racially-mixed (filled to capacity) African American Studies “Topics” elective and from the class comments she received more students benefited, than not, from the experience across the board. The underlining principle of critic thinking “entails self-reflection and open-mindedness.” I agree with you that African American students need to be “critical thinkers” perhaps more than their white student counterpart. You may or may not agree with my reasoning – I think that African Americans need to be critical thinkers to rebuild sustainable black communities throughout our country and in Africa as well.
The rebuilding and strengthening of black community will allow black folk to be self-directed/sufficient contributing members of society throughout the Diaspora. However, due to the systemic nature and recorded history of the racial strife in our country and Africa (that continues till today) blacks can’t do it alone. Black folks have been here along with white folks almost since the beginning of the European adventures in the Americans. It is my opinion that black and white people are inextricably tied together because both groups helped to build, from the beginning, this economic/cultural powerhouse called America – as the adage goes “a rising tide (should) float all boats.” Except in this case, the rewards for the blood, sweat, tears, and talents expended by black folk did not warrant equitable return. And, that is why Martin Luther King, just before he was assassinated, was planning the “Poor People’s March on Washington” in recognition of the suffering of all poor people regardless of color. If MLK, Jr. had succeeded in his quest to have living wage/economic parity legislation passed - we all, black, white and others, would have been better for it.
The recent economic debacle that was visited on many of us not in the top 2% - where the have-nots now have significantly less - should serve as a cautionary tale. I heard a report on NPR (an excellent source of thought provoking programming – just made for critical thinkers) that African Americans lost more accumulated wealth than the entire pre Civil Rights era ( excluding slavery). I could be wrong about this number but I think that the dollar amount lost was 160 billion dollars…? Neighborhoods in Chicago, Prince George County and Baltimore, MD were highlighted as being victimized by reverse redlining. Reverse redlining denotes that minority communities for years were unable to get mortgages and/or home equity loans because of racial discrimination (the skinny is that financial institutions located minority neighborhoods on their “marketing maps” and arbitrarily drew a circle around those that were to be excluded from many financial services including neighborhood banking) were now being targeted for bad sub-prime loans that extracted their long-term equity gains leaving these victims “underwater” and many times homeless.
All citizens of our great nation have a responsibility/obligation to challenge the system (any system) when warranted.
Zach, I hope that one day we can meet to further this discussion to hopefully find areas of agreement beneficial to you and me. I wish you all the best. And, just for the heck of it, check out this critical thinking stuff. Take care, Ms. Hardy-Phillips ‘80
Your eloquent and, “Let me show them how smart a black woman is” comment is wonderful… now, I know your intended target. It’s us whites, because when ever someone talks about becoming a critical thinker, expanding your knowledge on this subject or facing your fears – it’s always about how the whites have to learn them.. not blacks.. If you really read your post and start thinking.. It’s better aimed at today’s black youth. It’s really a diatribe for those you proclaim have intellectual superiority on this matter.. not us whites. Again, so many times the facts get muddled in how whites must learn, or how its whites fault etc.. Well guess what? Blacks have it far better in America than any country in Africa (Which are all black lead) Blacks are on American television far more proportionately vs their population and blacks get far many more hand outs and gimmies than any white from Appalachia. (who really have it bad but it doesn’t get media attention because they remain quiet) So enough…don’t convolute this argument with eloquently stated rubbish to show how right you are, how smart you are, because it’s transparent and predictable..your message is still as overly litigious and easy to identify as a ‘cow pie’.
The lack of civility, in the comments, regarding the subject of "black student concerns" is more than painful to read. Acrimony, bullying, insults, false accusations, and half truths, have no place in a university community debate over something as important as pedagogy and student learning. Students, staff, faculty, alumni and the community are all “stake holders” in the success of Towson University and, most importantly, its students - one and all.
It is amazing how malicious and mean spirited the campus climate of TU has gotten in the last few years. Nevertheless, I can tell you that this selfish “winner take all – leave no crumbs on the table” philosophy will only continue to tarnish the reputation of Towson (my Alma Mater). Where is all this extreme hostility coming from…? Perhaps, it ia coming from a lack of knowledge, insight and/or concern for things outside your "comfort zone." It may also be a reaction to the dire and uncertain economic conditions that our country is experiencing. In times of diminishing resources - understandably - the primal instinct of self-preservation takes over. However, as higher functioning primates, we must always fight this innate reflex.
In the perfect “academic” world you students would all be practicing “critical thinkers” that possess the ability to “think through” a given problem/challenge going through the paces of challenging - the known and unknown of the topic - to reach some informed conclusion.
It is possible to learn to be a critical thinker… With intention and practice, critical thinking can be used as a tool to elevate your reasoning, research and intellectual debate. As our leaders of the future, I employ you all to become more civil in tone, critical in thinking and empathic to the causes others.It appears that some adults/professionals have surfaced. Unfortunately, their participation appeared feeble and lacked any real persausive influence. Hey, where is the leadership of the CSD in this important conversation...?Civility does work...