The Creation of the Office of Afro-American Affairs at Indiana University

If They Come, We Will Build It: The Creation of the Office of Afro-American Affairs at Indiana University Megan Bottoms In 1970 Indiana University launched one of the first black studies programs at a major university (Wynkoop, 2002). Alongside the black studies program was the creation of an office that specifically addressed the issues of black students on campus, the Office of Afro-American Affairs. The creation of this office was a significant moment in the history of the university. This is a brief account of the events that lead to the creation of the office. “This institutionalized presence of black when the first black student entered the people, like all other facets of our academic University (Beck, 1959). Records from 1910 environment, has a history of struggle, indicated there was anywhere from ten to development and unfolding. It is a presence, twenty black students. When the University however, which remains largely unrecorded did begin keeping formal records, less than and therefore invisible in the standard texts one percent of the 2,356 students were on our history.” black. Between 1920 and 1950, enrollment – Herman C. Hudson, 1986. of the number of black students never reached above three percent of the total Indiana University has progressed in enrollment (Beck, 1959). eliminating instances of human injustice and There is a record of the first black indignity since its founding in 1820. On student to graduate from Indiana University. paper, Indiana University’s academic Following the civil war, many black families programs have always been open to all began an exodus from the still highly students without regard to race, creed, or contentious southern states to northern color. In 1895 Indiana University graduated states. Marcellus Neal’s family was one of its first Negro student, Marcellus Neal, with those families. They moved from their home an A.B in mathematics. Even before Brown in Lebanon, Tennessee to Greenfield, vs. Board of Education in 1954, Indiana Indiana. His high school work earned him a University had already made significant distinguished scholarship to Indiana strides in desegregating the Bloomington University, which allowed him to enroll as a campus; however, the road to such freshman in 1891, and in 1895 he became progressive movements and reforms was not Indiana University’s first black graduate smooth and remained largely unpaved. (Beck, 1959). Marcellus Neal was not the only black student to find their way to Brief History of Black Students at Indiana University. Indiana University For black students, Indiana University provided an education and an opportunity to Institutional records are unsure of when advance in their careers and professions. the first black student was enrolled in Halson Vashon Eagleson, a black Methodist Indiana University. From its founding in minister who made his way to Bloomington 1820 to its centennial in 1920, Indiana after being an orphan in Virginia, sent four University did not keep official enrollment of his five children and several of his records of their students, but informal grandchildren to Indiana University (Beck, records indicated that 1882 might have been 1959). In September of 1940, Wilson 49 Journal of the Student Personnel Association at Indiana University Vashon, Jr. was the fourth generation of equal and open reception” (Madison, 1982, Eagleson’s family to attend Indiana p. 8). Throughout the Indiana University University (Beck, 1959). Attendance at campus and surrounding Bloomington Indiana University provided Eagleson’s community, there was evidence of racism family a chance to attain bachelor’s degrees and segregation as strong and prevalent as in teaching, the arts, and nursing, as well as the Jim Crow societies of the south. doctorates in law, medicine, and philosophy. Capshew (2012) noted how everything at Education provided an opportunity for black that time was “owned” by white people and students to advance in society and to make a that everything from clubs and activities, living for themselves that might guarantee residences, and food service was segregated. them some financial security. Students began recognizing the growing While educational opportunities might social inequities and racial discrimination have been open to black students, that permeated the campus. A group of enrollment into the University proved to be concerned students, comprised of both difficult. During the depression, black blacks and whites, gathered together in 1935 student enrollment dropped nearly twenty to form the interracial Commission. This percent, while white student enrollment small group of students charged themselves doubled (Beck, 1959). By the 1960s, the with examining where the University total number of black students at Indiana permitted instances of discrimination and University had increased to approximately segregation on campus. Over the course of six hundred, but they still remained two the next academic year, the Commission percent of the student population (Capshew, interviewed and surveyed over 500 students, 2012). In 1968 University President Elvis both black and white. Their interviews Stahr was giving a presentation on the revealed that the University itself placed University’s commitment to black students, restrictions on black students, including the when he commented that until more black restricted dining facilities (Beck, 1959). youth graduate high school academically During their investigation, the prepared to enter college, colleges will Commission found many instances of continue to be disproportionately white discrimination and segregation. Beck (1959) (Stahr, 1968). Stahr’s comment strengthened recorded that the R.O.T.C and University the struggle that black students encountered. band denied black students membership. Black students were excluded from When Race Becomes a Problem professional and honorary societies like the Sphinx, denied entrance into all-university While black students may have been dances, and were limited in the student admitted into the University without regard organizations they could join (Beck, 1959; to race, creed, or color, their academic Capshew, 2012). Black students could play experience while at Indiana University did sports, but only those sports with no skin-to- not always align. Black students were often skin contact. Black students could eat in the confronted with instances of discrimination campus dining facilities, but only in and segregation throughout their experience. specified facilities in the designated areas. Even at Indiana University, “racism and Black students were allowed to join student segregation were common experiences for organizations, but only the few black Greek- most blacks . It was nearly impossible to letter organizations. Faculty even supported find in Indiana a public place, institution, or the practice of discrimination in group where whites accorded blacks an organizational membership based on race 50 If They Come, We Will Build (Beck, 1959; Capshew, 2012). Involvement first black faculty member, Richard for black students was very limited and Johnson, who was hired by the School of almost entirely non-existent. Music as percussion instructor (Capshew, The University housing operated 2012). In 1966, Dr. Orlando Taylor, a separate but equal facilities for white men professor in speech and theatre, was one of and women and black men and women. The only of three black faculty members. By the white students lived in halls that were more end of the 1960’s there were only ten black centrally located and closer to where classes faculty members in the entire university and were held. White men lived in the men’s no black administrators (Capshew, 2012; dormitory that was located near the core of Clark, 1977). This made it very difficult for campus, and white women lived in a Black students to find someone in a position women’s dormitory located just across the of power and support with a shared street from major academic buildings (Beck, experience. 1959; Capshew, 2012). The black students Beyond the discrimination and were provided some smaller housing segregation occurring within the University, facilities far north of campus or they lived in black students encountered similar issues Greek housing, while most lived with other when they stepped off campus. In 1937 a black families (Capshew, 2012; Freyer, Bloomington restaurant displayed a sign that 2004). The black students were so minimal indicated that blacks were not welcome and in number that they lived scattered that only white customers would be served throughout Bloomington. (Beck, 1959). This proved to be quite an Segregation and discrimination of black issue as it significantly limited the number students even extended into the classroom of dining establishments for black students. and among faculty. During commencement There was “only one eating establishment, exercises in the late 1890’s and early 1900’s, outside of the colored cafeteria, in the entire black students were often left to march by city where Negro students can secure food” themselves. In the 1920s and early 1930s (Daily Student, 1939), and it was chronicled black students were permitted to attend regularly in the student newspaper. It classes with the white students, but they continued until well into the 1950’s when were forced to sit in a separate area of the headlines from the Indiana Daily Student classroom (Beck, 1959). Some classes like from March 16, 1950, read “We got no physical education and swimming remained hamburgers;

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