Paving the Way Some of Notre Dames First Black Students Reflect on the Early Days of Integration at the University and the Struggles T(Lat Remain Made," Said Hesburgh
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Mardi Gras madness Cosmo controversy Heading to the Big Easy to celebrate? Scene A Saint Mary's student says an article in Friday gives you the history behind Mardi Gras and Cosmopolitan detailing the rape of a Saint things to keep in mind at the festival. Mary's student should be a call to action. FEBRUARY 23, Scene+ pages 12·13 Viewpoint+ page 11 2000 THE The Independent Newspaper Serving Notre Dame and Saint Mary's VOL XXXIV NO. 94 ' ,· · HTTP://OBSERVER.N D.EDU Paving the way Some of Notre Dames first black students reflect on the early days of integration at the University and the struggles t(lat remain made," said Hesburgh. By COLLEEN McCARTHY Despite resistance from some and Associate News Editor mandated segregation in the South, Notre Dame's policy was one of the University President Emeritus more progressive when it came to ~ ~·rt'~. Father Theodore Hesburgh had just attempting to integrate the been named rector of Farley Hall in University. the fall of 1948 when he received a In 194 7, Frazier Thompson became phone call from an irate woman, the the first black student to graduate mother of one of his residents in the from Notre Dame. A member of the newly-built residence hall. Navy, Thompson was encouraged by "I got a call from a lady who said vice president of Academic Affairs she was calling from New Orleans Father Kenna to return to the and her son lived in Farley Hall," said University to get his degree after Hesburgh. "She then said to me, 'I completing his service in World War understand you have a nigger living II, said Hesburgh. in that hall. Is this true?' I told her Having worked in civil rights previ that yes, we had a black student liv ously, upon becoming the executive ing in Farley Hall and he was just as vice president of Notre Dame in 1949, much a student as her son, was here Hesburgh continued to push to inte legitimately and was staying here." grate the University. Hesburgh's answer was not what "We talked and said it was a shame the woman wanted to hear. At that that we hadn't had many black stu time in Farley Hall, Hesburgh had dents, professors, or even mainte 333 men living in the dorm, only one nance people at the University," said of whom was black. Hesburgh. "I wanted to see blacks as The woman gave Hesburgh an ulti well as whites at the University." matum. She told him that he was to With Hesburgh and others' urging, kick the black student out of the dorm the University opened up completely by the next morning and if he didn't, to blacks. Still, with options such as put her son on the next plane back to predominantly black colleges avail New Orleans. able to black students, few chose to The next morning came and the attend Notre Dame. woman's son was on a plane headed "Everything opened up at once. towards New Orleans where he including the athletic teams," said enrolled in Tulane University and Hesburgh. "Yet I can understand that went on to become a doctor. blacks may not have felt welcome Hesburgh talked to the woman's son here because they saw it was pretty in the years after the incident. much all white and that may have "He [the woman's son] told me that affected the number who chose to making him leave the University attend the University. I can see how it TONY FLOYDfThe Observer because there was a black student would have been kind of a lonely path living in a dorm with him was the Clarence Hodges, (above), a 1955 Notre Dame graduate stands In front of the Main Building where all of his classes were held. biggest mistake his mother ever see STUDENTS/page 6 Administration: Demonstrators push '~-I'! ·~~~>· '-'.r :~-~~ ~', ~·':;~~f.~----.: ''' ,~t <fi '·~~· ·,* Cosmopolitan for ND to join WRC ,._',. ~-' ,·. •, ,,/,~ . ~~- .~.. article unfair By JASON McFARLEY Assistant News Editor In the largest campus demonstration at the University in more By MYRA McGRIFF than two years, about 100 students took part in a rally Thursday News Writer to urge Notre Dame's joining the Workers Rights Consortium (WRC). Members of the Saint Mary's and Notre The rally, organized by the Progressive Student Alliance (PSA), Dame administrations voiced concerns was the group's most visible and well-attended effort to date in its regarding an article in the March issue of anti-sweatshop endeavors. On the below-freezing afternoon on Cosmopolitan magazine that hit stands the Fieldhouse Mall, speakers called for the University to commit Wednesday detailing the alleged rape of a itself to fighting unfair labor practices by joining the. watchdog Saint Mary's student by a Notre Dame stu WRC. dent. Coordinators timed the event around the University's March 11 The article titled ''Danger in the Dorm" decision of whether or not to join the orgar\ization. detailed the story of Saint Mary's junior Maureen Capillo, a Saint Mary's senior, said Notre Dame was Sarah Alter who said she was raped her once a leader in anti-sweatshop initiatives but has recently trailed freshman year on Saint Mary's campus. other universities in championing the cause. I '\ Although the article portrayed Alter's "The reason Notre Dame has fallen behind is because it hasn't story, members of the College and joined the WRC," Capillo said. University administration felt their side of The University has a history of taking an activist stance on the AMANDA HUGHES/The Observer Various speakers urged students at a rally to see COSMO/page 8 see RALLY I page 8 lobby the University to join the WRC. page 2 The Observer+ INSIDE Friday, February 23, 200 l INSIDE COLUMN THIS WEEK IN ND/SMC HISTORY Lamb to be napalmed this week AIDS ignored at Notre Dame, says alumnus Watch your back Monday, February 16, 1970 Tuesday, February 22, 1994 A group of Notre D-ame students intend to napalm a lamb Graduate student John Blanford surprised the audience of I've killed three people since Monday and I plan to continue my killing spree today. on Wednesday, February 18, at 12:30 p.m., in front of the a panel discussion last night by disclosing his infection Empowered with a leaky water gun, I've steps of the Administration building. The students are with HIV. Citing the lack of awareness of AIDS and HIV at stalked my victims, learning about their daily movements so I can hide behind a corner and demonstrating against the presence of recruiters from Notre Dame, Blanford made his status public at the dis shoot them dead (or, in one case, enlisting a cussion titled, "Wise Before Their Time: Living with AIDS," strong friend to remove the Dow Chemical Corporation and Honeywell Corporation. target from the dorm so I Scott The demonstration has been officially registered with in an effort to show the University that AIDS is indeed a could shoot him). Brodfuehrer Knott and Cavanaugh Father Riehle, Dean of Students. problem on campus, he said. began a game of assassins on Monday. For those of you Copy Editor unfamiliar with the game, it is an opportunity for college OUTSIDE THE DOME Compiled from U-Wire reports students to act like third graders and squirt water guns at each other. Each person is given another person to kill and when he is successful, he must kill whomever the Freshman's death remains a mystery person he killed was to kill. This continues until you yourself are shot or you are the last alive, BLOOMINGTON, Ind. ''I'd be happy if absolutely everyone and win. The Indiana University Police at that party calls us," Minger said. This game is played under the guise of improv Department and the family of the "Then we'd be as thorough as possi ing gender relations. However, it just continues freshman whose Feb. 4 death is still ble." the practice you started freshman year when unexplained are concerned people He said the department wants indi looking for an SYR date. Guys and girls sit pour with information might not be coming viduals at the party to call IUPD, ing over the dogbook, hoping to find a person. If forward. whether or not they believe they have they are unsuccessful, they poll their friends until Both are encouraging anyone who information to offer. He said some people at the party might think what they come up with a successful plan. Basically, knows anything to call IUPD immedi ately. they saw is insignificant, assume the Notre Dame students are so successful at assas department already knows what they sins because they know how to stalk members of Seth Korona, 19, died of bleeding in the brain caused by a head injury, saw or simply assume IUPD will call if the opposite sex, as that is the only way the know it needs information. to meet someone who is not allowed in their Monroe County Coroner David Tourney said Sunday. Korona attend Minger said he has heard there are dorm room past midnight. tion would be completed this week. people with first-hand knowledge who When I and two of my closest gun-wielding ed a Jan. 27 party at the Theta Chi Minger said the department wants fraternity, was hospitalized Jan. 29 have not contacted IUPD. He said the buddies infiltrated the fortress (followed a girl to speak to everyone who attended the department wants to talk to these into the 'Naugh), we were laughed at by almost and remained in a coma until his Theta Chi party - potentially 600 death.