Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Vol. LXIII-No. 24 University of South Carolina, Columbia, S. C. 29208 Thursday, November 30, 1972 Blackq BY PATRICK TYLER N ine years after the Supreme Court under Chief Justice Earl Warren decried the "sep arate but equal" doctrine of educa tion, the University of South Caro linatokenly admitted three blacks to its student body. Another nine years have gone by and the percentage of blacks on campus has risen to six per cent in a state where some 45 per cent of the college age inhabitants are -black, according 1970 census figures. When those first three blacks walked on campus in the fall of 1963, "We went through elaborate plann ing to make sure it went off without incident," Charles Witten, vice president for student affairs, said. An eleven-page report from the administration detailed every facet of the students' indoctrination. In item six of the report the administ ration considered the sociological adjustments of the new students. "It should be pointed out that excessively cordial or enthusiastic welcoming of the Negro students by other students or persons con nected with the University can do as much damage as actions of the opposite type." The remainder of the report dealt mainly with instructions to stu dents, staff, and faculty on cont ingency plans in case of any inci dents involving the blacks, and general instructions about conduct. "An eleven-page report, why not? Black students were dying to get into white universities," W. L. Her riford, a black vice provost, said. Herriford recalled an incident at the University of Missouri in 1938 when a black petitioned to enter the school and won that right in courts. Soon thereafter, Herriford said, the black disappeared and was never heard from again. The appearance of the three blacks on this campus in 1963 went off without incident, perhaps the spirit of the segregationist factions was dulled by the successful, widely televised, battle of James Meriditl to enter the University of Missis sippi months earlier. At any rate blacks came to USC-- and stayed. Today there are approximately 1,000 in the neat 17,000 student body. Last year a black was elected tc the highest student office at USC when Harry Walker became presi. dent. The event won national acclaim when National Broadcast ing Co. news anchorman, Johr Chancellor said on a coast to coasi broadcast, "This is the first time that has ever happened there.' What Chancellor failed to point oui was that there has never been i black at the head of the student body at Harvard, Columbia University MIT, Yale, the University of Norti Carolina and most other univer sities across the country. Why then was the juxtaposltior of the new black president and the university brought to nationa: focus? Obviously Chancelloi thought it merited mention in hii newscast along with the Vietnarn War, Northern Ireland and Presi dent Nixon's economic policy--but why? One answer could be that some blacks on campus think they are B runlli facing an uphill battle trying to get involved in the decision making pro cesses of the University. C. L. McMillian, co-ordinator of minority affairs thinks that blacks are runn ing into a wall in their attempt to achieve this kind of involvement. "Oft times I get the feeling that they (whites) are saying 'this is our uni versity, we were here first, and let you come in," he said. McMillian who came to USC three years ago after having spent 13 years at Benedict College in Colum bia said that as the black population has risen at USC the existing power structure has seen the blacks as a threat to that power. "Apparently there is an unwillingness to accept blacks for their worth," he added. Contrasting the attempts by blacks and other ethnic groups to get involved, not just at USC but in American society as a whole, McMillian said the other groups have succeeded in breaking into the power structure, and at the same time have been able to retain their culture. However he thinks that "simply because of color" blacks are running into a wall. "We keep saying to the univer sity,'by golly we're here,' " he said. "We must be included in the total structure---in the plan making." A racist segment of students is operating just below the surface at USC McMillian said. "They are attempting to use the "Gamecock" -otherwise they would not express themselves openly," he said referr ing to the "letters to the editor" by a student using the fictitious name R. Linton Admiral. The letters have advertised a right-wing organiza tion dedicated to strict separation of the races. ig into C. L. McMillian (left) Tim McConnel (right) "It is easy for me to sit down and write you and slander you as much as I want--but to face you and say the same things is much different," McMillian said. If a "white backlash" developed against black involvement in stu dent activities and administration of the university, the minority affairs co-ordinator said blacks could not go back to the submissive role they played ten years ago. "We will no longer accept not being in on the plan making." One black student who is in a "plan making" position said the mood at USC is one of "not letting the black man get too far." Tim McConnel, student body vice presi dent, said "I'm scared after talking to a lot of people, there is a lot of tension among black students." McConnell said he thought blacks involvement in the.University Union was being thwarted. The union has the largest budget of any student organization, $196,000. McConnel thinks that if blacks want a good activities program they must go through the union because "money gets things done." He added that when blacks obtain a majority on one of the committees in the union, "a cycle of rebellion from whites" results. "I see it going to a revolution if the university dosen't respond to the desires and needs of the black students," the vice president said. "Right now I'm talking to people as kind of an inter mediary hoping to avoid any kind of physical confrontation." One incident that McConnel thinks hightened the tensions among blacks along these militant lines is a series of meetings of the University Union Lectures Com wall at USC mittee in October, two weeks before prior to the designated week of Black Week. According to David black cultural emphasis, the cor Ness, director of the union, rep- mittee met and by a 6 to 4 vote resentatives of the Association of decided to pay the $1,000 for Lee Afro-American Students who was to appear the Friday night approached the union in late of the week. summer seeking co-sponsership on However, on the following Mon some of the Black Week events. day night another meeting was After being told they would have to called.AtleePrince,amemberofthe approach each committee individu- committee and president of Afro, ally, the blacks went to the Lectures maintains that the black members Committee with a proposition of of the committee did not receive jointly bringing the revolutionary schedules for this meeting and poet and critic, Don L. Lee, during those that were to follow it. At this Black Week. meeting Prince said there was a During the meeting two weeks higher representation of whites than at the previous one. :,m When the meeting got under way a motion to reconsider the funding of the Lee lecture was forwarded. When the vote came, four of the nine - blacks that had attended the pre vious meeting were there. The funds forLee were reaeer The preaiting thajtye the blact br ofthFia comighttedntrceivte atchedesfti meeting aanth vtes tal were wte oli. Athi megPrince said theio was th Duringthemetingtwow e ctuihrres enmmttion was racilly coth tete wrevioues eprsn tamties orcie the stuennbd,ng addte and netur slobys forardped. in tdenvt came,foriftteyin Nscs tad had tn the mitee didomeng weren' themre Theci fusinds shou Lee wecaed. Te *thout ita unjust sattengdence atthe at theup weretbnginte agisteakr comte (Pese tee pae rereen