Introduction | Buchtel Hall Takeover | Anti-Apartheid Protests | Protests for Equality | Conclusion
Introduction
In light of the events of this past summer stemming from the death of George Floyd, the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement, and the renewed calls for social justice and racial equality in our country and on our campus, Archival Services of University Libraries received numerous requests to recount and examine past protests at The University of Akron, especially those involving Black activism. Although the campus has traditionally been viewed as conservative and protests have not been as prominent as at other universities such as Kent State or Jackson State, many protests have taken place on campus, especially for equal rights and racial equality. Since UA’s founding in 1870, three events stand out: the Takeover of Buchtel Hall by Black students in 1969, the anti-Apartheid protests in 1985, and the calls for equality and fair treatment on campus for African Americans in 1992. These events will be explored in this new online exhibit in their social, political, and historical contexts, in recognition of Black History Month 2021 and The University of Akron’s Sesquicentennial.
