Guide to the Racism Workshop Papers and Recordings 1970-1971
Archives 277

Summary Information

Repository
Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives and Special Collections
Title
Racism Workshop Papers and Recordings
ID
Archives 277
Date [inclusive]
1970-1971
Extent
0.5 Linear feet of shelf space, 2 Boxes
Language
Collection materials are in English.
Abstract
A small collection is made up of print materials and reel-to-reel audio tapes related to workshops on racism held at Washington State University in 1970-1971.

Preferred Citation

[Item Description]

Racism Workshop Papers and Recordings, 1970-1971 (UA 277)

Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.

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Biography/History

In May, 1970 at Washington State University, students led demonstrations against U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, and challenged university officials to recognize institutional racism as a fundamental problem with the university system. The Black Student Union (BSU), established at WSU in the fall of 1968, spearheaded May protests against racism and, in conjunction with several other radical organizations, presented President Glenn Terrell with eleven demands. Terrell initially rejected the demands which had called for, among other things, a mandatory ten day workshop in the fall to heighten faculty awareness of racism. 3,000 students protested that decision on May 21, 1970. On May 28, 1970, the Resident Instructional Staff (RIS) approved of two racism workshops, one for the fall of 1970 and one for the Spring of 1971. To plan the event, the RIS created the Minority Student Committee on Racism Workshops. To run the committee, Terrell appointed four minority students, Sarah Dennis, Ron Taplin, Rebecca Hobbs, and Rudy Ryser. The students planned to host prominent movement speakers, present movies, and make available printed handouts concerning racism. Although leaders of the BSU and MEChA (a Chicano students' organization) denounced the racism workshops as manifest symbols of university paternalism, the first racism workshop took place on October 7-8, 1970 and attracted 20,000 people. The second was held on March 9-10, 1971, and had a much smaller crowd.

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Scope and Content

This small collection is made up of print materials and reel-to-reel audio tapes related to racism workshops held by Washington State University in the early 1970s.

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Arrangement

Series are organized by origin and type of material, and then filed in a loosely chronological order, with photographs at the end of the print materials.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections  © 2016

https://libraries.wsu.edu/masc/

Terrell Library

P.O. Box 645610

Pullman, WA, 99164-5610 USA

509-335-6691

mascref@wsu.edu

Restrictions on Access

This collection is open and available for research use.

Restrictions on Use

Copyright restrictions may apply.

Acquisition Information

The print materials in this collection were transferred to MASC in 1980 with WSU News Bureau press releases (UA 1980-07, now processed as Archives 65), and separated from those on July 10, 1981 and retained as UA1981-18. In 2013, six reel-to-reel tapes of uncertain provenance (they were received in the Archives prior to 2008, but apparently never accessioned) were added to the collection.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Michael Cardinal and University Archivist Mark O'English in October of 2009.

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Related Materials

Related Material

MASC holds a number of items in different collections relating to the Racism Workshops. These collections can be identified by searching the Washington State University repository at Archives West for "Racism Workshop".

Original posters for each workshop can be found under Resident Instruction Staff (WSU Pubs 76 o.s.) in the oversized portion of the WSU Publications collection.

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Names and Subjects

Corporate Name(s)

Subject(s) :
  • Black Student Union (Washington State University)
  • Washington State University

Personal Name(s)

Creator(s) :
  • Black Student Union (Washington State University)
  • Washington State University

Subject(s)

  • Race relations
  • Racism
  • Race awareness
  • Group relations training
  • Multicultural education
  • African Americans
  • Washington (State)
  • Colleges and Universities

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Detailed Description of Collection

Print Materials 
box folder

Minutes of the Resident Instructional Staff. May 28, 1970 meeting at which racism workshops were approved. 

 1 1

WSU News Service, Sept. 17, 1970 - Oct. 8, 1970. Announcements leading up to the Racism Workshop, summaries of Racism Workshop events. 

 1 2

Original Racism Workshop folder, Oct. 7 - 8, 1970. Contains: Black Men in the Struggle (brochure); Integrated School Books; Racism Workshop program; The Chicano (printed material); Racism Workshop schedule for March 9-10, 1971; Campus map (circa 1970); Pasco, Washington (pamphlet). 

 1 3

Underground Newspapers, Oct. 15, 1970 - Oct. 23, 1970, detailing the WSU Racism Workshop. 

 1 4

Memoranda, Sept. 28, 1970 - March 9, 1971. Memoranda concerning WSU Racism Workshops, WSU press conference agenda, Oct. 15, 1970. 

 1 5

Correspondence, Oct. 15, 1970 - March 16, 1971. Correspondence of J. Reginald Miller, Director of University Relations, press conference agenda, Oct. 15, 1970. 

 1 6

Miscellany. Racism Workshop poster; drafted announcement to the WSU community (undated, no author); summary of conference call and Reginald Miller's plan for publicizing the racism workshop (undated, no author); review of the Oct. 7 - 8, 1970 racism workshop (undated, no author); handwritten notes concerning the racism workshop; Black Studies 380 syllabus, Fall 1969. 

 1 7

Photographs. Unlabeled, undated. Apparently speakers and crowds at Racism Workshop. 5 black and white images. 

 1 8

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Reel-to-reel Audio Tapes 
box folder

Dr. Charles Hurst (President of Malcolm X Community College, Chicago). Intro and remarks by Dr. Glenn Terrell. Speech by Hurst. Remarks by Dr. Terrell about stay of injunction. 1 side, 50 min. October 7, 1970. 

 2 9

Tomas Martinez and Luis Valdez. 2 sides. October 7, 1970. 

 2 10

Nathan Hare (publisher, The Black Scholar). 1 side, 45 min. October 8, 1970. 

 2 11

Harry E. Edwards, Olympic Project for Human Rights. 2 sides. March 9, 1971. 

 2 12

Sally Timmel, Community Change Inc. 1 side. March 9, 1971. 

 2 13

Gracia Molina de Pick, Third World College, University of California at San Diego. Incomplete. 2 sides. March 10, 1971 

 2 14

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