Black Students "quite alone"

Black Students "quite alone"

Racial tension, Black Student Union, cross burning

Black students express frustration with the racial climate at West Chester University. The article references the BSU and the cross-burning incident.

John Branson

Quad Angles Vol. 40 No. 8

West Chester University Quad

November 2 1971

Angela Grabosky

Digital images in Library Services' Digital Collections are issued by Special Collections, Francis Harvey Green Library, West Chester University. Images are provided for non-commercial, educational, and personal use only, and are not intended for reproduction or redistribution. For the above purposes the user may reproduce these materials (by download, printing, etc.) without further permission, on the condition that proper attribution of the source for all copies is provided by clearly acknowledging the name of the Library, the title of the web page or resource and the URL at which it was located, please credit as follows: Special Collections, Francis Harvey Green Library, West Chester University, West Chester, Pennsylvania. For questions regarding use of digital materials contact Special Collections (libspeccol@wcupa.edu or 610-436-3456). Special Collections assumes no responsibility for direct, indirect, consequential, or incidental infringement of copyright by content users.

https://digital.klnpa.org/digital/collection/wcnp01/id/14291

JPG Newspaper Scan

English

Student Newspaper

Black students "quite alone" By JOHN BRANSON What's it like to be black, and a student at West Chester State? "Frustrating and rewarding," according to Nate Gadsden, a black student and President of the West Chester State Gospel Choir. The incoming black freshman at West Chester faces many frustrations, said Gadsden. He faces professors that look at the color of his skin rather than what he produces. If the student comes from a predominantly black neighborhood he faces resentmeiH that he may never have experienced before. The black student finds that it is almost impossible for him to form an individual relationship with a white student. The result of this is that the student seeks out others sharing his predicament, Gadsden added. "When 1 graduate I'll know that I've paved the way for future black students," Gadsden said. This is the rewarding aspect of going to West Chester. Every time a black student graduates, he shows other blacks that it can be done. This can supply the needed inspiration for blacks not yet of college age. Another problem the black student encounters at West Chester is the lack of meaningful curriculum. The curriculum at West - Chester, said Eleanor Brown, vice chairman of the Black Student Union (BSU), is not really oriented to teach the black student, especially if the black student is to go back and teach his own people. Miss Brown went on to say that she didn't feel that special courses should be created just for blacks, but that the existing courses should be integrated. History courses should include the history of both the white, and black man. When asked what her initial reaction was on first arriving at West Chester, Miss Brown replied, "What have I gotten myself into." She said that she was the only black student in most of her freshman classes, and that she remembers feeling "quite alone." "It seems like it's just a white institution," stated Jackie Johnson,Johnson, this year's black Rampage Queen. There's a lack of compromising between the whites and blacks on campus, she went on. Miss Johnson cited an example where a group of white students stood outside a dance, sponsored by the BSU, telling students not to go in. She said that the BSU lost money because of this. Miss Johnson pointed out that the black students always support activities sponsored by the white organizations on campus. A black freshman, Cheryl Harvey, described her feelings as she rode the bus to South Campus after the cross burning incident of last week. "There were only two other blacks on the bus," she said, "I was afraid something would happen." She went on to describe other incidents that the black students are confronted with every day. A black student must even take care not to come out of an elevator too fast. If he does, people jump back. She admitted that this was a trivial occurrence, but one that is indicative of general feelings on campus. Some people are trying to make changes at West Chester. There is now a black history, and black literature course in the curriculum. But as Eleanor Brown said, "There is just no way they can do it themselves." They can't speak for the blacks. A solution would be for the people making up the courses to consult with the BSU concerning new black courses. This could be the beginning, but as Eleanor Brown says, "It'sgoing to take a long time."

Microfilm