A joyous anniversary celebration marking the 40-year history of the Black Student Union drew approximately 150 alumni from across the country back to the Holy Cross campus on April 11 to 13.
The Black Student Union was founded in 1968 following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. BSU’s first leaders were 28 African-American men who enrolled in 1968 — due in large part to active outreach by Rev. John E. Brooks, S.J., now president emeritus of the College. It was mentioned several times throughout the weekend that few people thought that black students would be able to make their way through Holy Cross, let alone lead highly successful careers.
Those first students included Clarence Thomas ’71, associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court; Theodore V. Wells Jr. ’72, one of the leading litigators in the nation; Eddie J. Jenkins Jr. ’72, chairman of the Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Commission and former Miami Dolphins running back — all of whom returned to campus for the festivities.
In welcoming remarks on April 11, Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J., president of the College, recalled his own days as a student at Cornell University in the late 1960s.
“It was a time for me and I think for many of you that was turbulent, angry, confusing, depressing and exhilarating — with the Vietnam War, the civil rights movement, the war on poverty, student protests, riots in our major cities, and all the rest.” The death of Dr. King in April of 1968 “brought a terrible dark cloud of despair and a sobering reality to what had seemed to many of us a time of great progress,” he said.
Addressing the alumni gathered, he said Holy Cross changed in 1968. “Here, people decided to do something constructive in response to the wrenching problems they saw in this community and the wider society and we’ve all benefited from your generosity and vision. … In those early days, African-American students had an important impact on the academic, the social and the political landscape here and that’s continued. Those young men, some of whom are here with us tonight — still young of course — brought with them a diversity of experience and a fresh perspective, but also a passion and a drive that really made things happen here. You shared your enthusiasm and your energy and you set a standard for those who would follow in your footsteps.”
Fr. McFarland highlighted the importance of Fr. Brooks’ work in pushing for a change in attitude among the College community.
“Holy Cross is a better place because of the extraordinary effort on the part of Fr. Brooks, and [President Rev. Raymond J.] Swords who commissioned him to change the face of this campus,” said Fr. McFarland. Among his efforts, Fr. Brooks made it financially possible for black students to attend the College and ensured black students had the support they needed in a “not always welcoming culture,” including his assistance in creating the Black Student Union.
“Finally, and I think that this is most important, he insisted that you be held to the same high standards as everyone else at Holy Cross. There may have been understanding and compassion but nobody got a free ride and there were no excuses,” Fr. McFarland said to applause. “The message was that you were just as talented, just as capable as everyone else, and you would be expected to perform as they would.”
The weekend offered a full slate of activities, including State of the College addresses, a “Fireside Chat” with Fr. Brooks, CASA Cultural Night, alumni panel discussions, and stories from current students, among others. Throughout the weekend, beaming alumni were seen shaking hands, hugging, and reminiscing about their time at Holy Cross.
By the time the awards banquet had arrived on the night of April 12, a feeling of overwhelming joy had overtaken the campus. “I am absolutely astounded and I am so grateful to all of you for coming back to be here with us for the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Black Student Union,” said Jacqueline Peterson, vice president for Student Affairs and dean of students, to a packed audience in the Hogan Ballroom.
“Tonight there is a focus on the development and progress of the Black Student Union to help increase the number of black students at Holy Cross, help them cope and to build a foundation for future black student at Holy Cross,” said Markenya N. Mirander, co-chair of the anniversary celebration, in her remarks.
The weekend’s events climaxed in a powerful keynote speech delivered by Wells (pictured) about the formation of the Black Student Union and the defining moments in the nation’s history during the civil rights movement.
Wells recalled the tense racial times following King’s death in 1968. “When we formed the Black Student Union that year we had two separate priorities. One, we had an internal priority and that was to make Holy Cross more sensitive and accommodating to the needs of its black students. And we focused on trying to persuade the school to hire more black faculty. We also wanted more black students.”
A rapt audience listened as Wells recalled that all black students left Holy Cross in protest after four black students were singled out for suspension in 1969 after a demonstration against General Electric’s alleged Vietnam war profiteering. The College ultimately granted the students amnesty, and they returned to campus.
“At the moment of truth, those students were put to the test, and they passed that test, and I love all of them,” he said.
Three people who were instrumental in helping create a welcoming environment for black students were honored at the event: Fr. Brooks; Ogretta McNeil, former professor of psychology and class dean at Holy Cross and former member of the Worcester School Committee; and Joseph J. Reilly Jr. ’55, former chair of the College’s Bishop Healy Committee, a group dedicated to achieving and maintaining a diverse and multicultural campus. All three received standing ovations.
To cap the evening, Ronald R. Lawson ’75, senior director of business affairs of the Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation, made a special announcement. Holy Cross black alumni contributed $8,000 to the College, which will be administered by the Bishop Healy Committee of the General Alumni Association to assist ALANA (African-American, Latin American, Asian-American, and Native American) students as they make their way through the College. The donation will “continue our connectivity, our cohesiveness and our camaraderie in the future,” Lawson said.
Related Information:
• Black Student Union 40th Anniversary Celebration
• Photo Gallery: Black Student Union 40th Anniversary Celebration
