Black Power on Campus: The University of Illinois, 1965–75

Abstract

In the 1960s, scholarship in America witnessed a movement from studies on civil rights topics to an emphasis on Black Power. One of the most signification contributions to this emerging trend is Joy Ann Williamson's book, Black Power on Campus: The University of Illinois, 1965–75. The book consists of seven chapters, emphasizing the evolution of Black consciousness on predominately white American higher education institutions during the critical period between the mid-1960s and mid-1970s. Williamson presents readers with vital insights and information about similar movements across the country by using the experience of African American students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) as an illuminating microcosm.Williamson explores the formation of Black Power ideology, the conception of “Blackness,” and notion of self-advancement versus racial solidarity, using a plethora of sources from the late 1960s to early 1970s, together with interviews from student activists, former administrators, and teachers. She skillfully addresses the challenges of class and gender within the movement and the difficulties and grief that students had in defining “Blackness.” She examines the influence of this movement on the institution and the relationship between students’ views and educational reform. Williamson also illustrates the intricacy of student involvement during a time of protest that mirrored local and national concerns.The deliberate attempt to connect African American student organizing with the more significant Black Power movement distinguishes this book. Using the terminology of the Black Power movement and African American psychologist William Cross, Jr.’s “Nigrescence” or “Negro-to-Black Conversion Process model,” Williamson refers to some African American students as “Negroes” and portrays their aspirations as integrationists. She uses the term “Black” for those students who were dedicated to “instilling solidarity and unity among Black students, expressing the positive aspects of Black culture, and providing a training ground for political organization and leadership” (p. 28). Williamson's use of student testimonies effectively locates these distinctions in the split between the Civil Rights Movement and the adoption of the Black Power ideology. Sandra Norris, a former student, shares, “When I came there, I was . . . a student who happened to be Black. When I left, I was a Black who happened to be a student” (p. 49).The Black Student Association (BSA) became the hub of Black student power and organization. The BSA, the successor to a Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) group, established an organizational structure and newspaper that, despite occasionally engaging in internal conflict, was successful in pressuring the university to increase the recruitment of African American students, establish a Black cultural center, and to some extent, establish a Black studies program. The achievements occurred during the Black Power movement, which could also be considered the peak of student activism in general. In the 1970s, the BSA's collapse coincided with the decline of these movements. Williamson contends that the university's capacity to appropriate some of the programs through educational reforms was both an indicator of the movement's success and a factor in its downfall.Although Williamson's book is captivating, there are still some areas to consider. She interviewed thirty-one participants, including eight women. It would be insightful to understand how these interviewees were chosen. In addition, the narrative lacks a discussion of left-wing college groups that may have involved both African American and white students. Given the university's history of Marxist organizations, it appears that a significant number of Black students engaged in such activities, so the reasons and motivations behind their involvement could bring more nuanced information. Williamson mentions social class issues among African American students, which resulted in potential debates or discussions between supporters of Black Power and supporters of working-class power. A more detailed analysis of class divisions among African American students would provide further insights.Black Power on Campus is both topical and informative in light of recent court decisions addressing affirmative action and racial diversity in higher education, as well as the numerous efforts of higher education institutions to promote inclusive education. It offers a substantial contribution to the emerging literature on Black Power studies. Williamson demonstrates why diversity is a fundamental problem by analyzing the arduous battle and substantial achievements made by African American college students. She provides an institutional and cultural study of a significant movement, as well as the history of an essential component of the fight for academic democracy and genuine education. She also emphasizes the necessity of chronicling this crucial period in American history. Black Power on Campus is essential reading for those conducting research on students of color and the establishment of student organizations.