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Purdue Black Student Union (1969-)

 Organization

Dates

  • Existence: 1969 -

Historical Information

The Purdue Black Student Union purpose "is to serve as the political voice for the black student population, increase student involvement in social, academic, and political activities, promote unity among African American student organizations, and to facilitate communication between the black student population and the Purdue University administration."

The Black Student Union formed as early as 1969, when they were reported as marching on the Indiana State capitol in protest of the tuition hike. However, by October of that year, Black students still had not agreed on a unified charter.

In 1976, the Purdue Black Student Union and Harambee, a Black student organization on campus, merged to form the student organization, Black Student Union-Harambee, to unify Black students at Purdue and Blacks in the community. The addition of the title Harambee fell out of use in the 1980's and the organization was just referred to as the Black Student Union.

Citation:
Pledger, E. (1976 November 4). "Harambee supports Black togetherness." Purdue Exponent. https://exponent.lib.purdue.edu/?a=d&d=PE19761104-01.1.3&srpos=1&e=------197-en-20--1--txt-txIN-harambee-------1
Citation:
Hinze, K. (1969 May 8). "4,500 march for special session." Purdue Exponent. https://exponent.lib.purdue.edu/?a=d&d=PE19690508-01.1.1&srpos=4&e=------196-en-20--1--txt-txIN-%22black+student+union%22-------1
Citation:
Black Student Union. (n.d.). Boiler Link. Purdue University. https://boilerlink.purdue.edu/organization/blackstudentunion

Found in 1 Collection or Record:

Helen Bass Williams papers

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSP 310
Abstract

This collection includes documents, correspondence, published materials, photographs, and audio recordings collected and created by Helen Bass Williams that document her personal life, education, and her work as a civil rights activist in the South, educator, and counselor and professor at Purdue University.

Dates: 1915 - 2004; Majority of material found within circa 1960s and 1970s