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The Black Student Union became an official student organization in 1968 and still exists today. In 1969, it counted 1,000 members. Its primary concern is uniting the black university community. It sponsors cultural events, like lectures and concerts by black artists, "designed to raise the consciousness of blacks at UB and provide them with some identity and common bonds" (Buffalonian 1983). The BSU is also involved in outreach to the community. In 1969, it started a free breakfast program to provide breakfast to inner city children before school.
During the 1970s, the BSU was very involved in the student protests that were rampant in universities across the county. This came to a head in 1972 when "the Black populace of UB" submitted five demands to President Ketter:
- Black Studies be upgraded to departmental status
- two black faculty members be reappointed and given tenure
- minority faculty members be involved in the tenure review of other minority faculty
- minority faculty and students be involved in an ongoing dialogue with academic departments on minority issues
- a "privileged communication channel" be established between the president's office and the black contingency
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Members of the BSU from the 1983 Buffalonian yearbook |
