The Carolinian [February 15, 1969]

              RIOT AT DUE
By JOHN ROBINSON
(Editor's note: Thursday evening
Durham police, attempting to
arrest black students who had
occupied Duke's Administration
building, scuffled for over an
hour with Duke students.
Following the incident the
National Guard was called out
by the Governor. The Guard
never entered the campus, but is
still in Durham at press time.
The following is an account of
the event* at Duke last Thursday
as pieced together from first
hand reports of students who
were present when the incidents
developed.)
At about 9:00 a.m. a forum
near the student union building
was set up to discuss the black
students' demands. The first
speaker was a black student who
came over and announced that
the administration building had
been secure as of 8:15 that
morning. The prevailing
sentiment of those faculty
members who spoke was with
the black students.
In addition support came
from YAF (Young Americans
for Freedom) leader Seth
Grossman, and Duke Chronicle
Associate Editor Mark Knsky.
However there were dissenting
faculty and atudenta who aired
their views to the crowd of
about 260 students.
Since the black students had
boarded themselves up in the first
floor, the white student
supporters organised a
"Sympathy School" in the two
upper floors of the building.
According to one report Dr.
Knight telephoned the police in
the morning, telling them that
they might be needed around
two in the afternoon. Tension
was high when the faculty met
to discuss the situation.
A motion was decisively
defeated which would have
withheld the President's
ultimatum until the faculty
meeting was over. Dr. Knight
appeared at the meeting, asking
for discussion on the demands of
the black students After what
was described by a Duke
Chronicle reporter as "stalling
tactics," a motion for
adjournment was placed before
the body. When this motion was
overwhelmingly defeated 36
faculty members walked out "to
the cat calls and hisses as well as
a general round of applause from
the faculty, who hoped that
these people would get their
heads knocked. There were
faculty in the audience 'These
kids deserve to get busted and
get their heads cracked.' It sure
was a hostile meeting." Then,
according to another student
present at the meeting, the
faculty by a vote of about 660
to 60 decided to support
whatever measures Dr. Knight
deemed necessary to bring the
situation under control.
By this time a large crowd of
students was forming around the
main entrance of the
Administration Building; the
time limit for the ultimatum had
run out at 4:30. The black
students left peacefully at about
6:16 protected by their whit*
supporters. They then attempted
to lead a column down the mala
drive. The police moved in from
their staging area behind a
garden next to the
Administration Building, while
three squad cars blocked the
main drive. Demonstrators aad
onlookers alike were forced back
into the quadrangle by the
on rush of Durham City Police
and State Troopers. The police
moved into the now empty
Allen Building, and took up a
position in front of the same
door the black' students bad
nailed shut earlier in the day.
Reports vary as to bow many
(Continued on page 4)
R0LINA
Thursday, February 13-Inssde of the Duke Administration Bukdkef
during the occupation. Chronicle Photo. The Carolinian
Volume XXXXVTII University of North Carolina at Greensboro, N. C. — Saturday, February 15, 1969 Number 29
UNC-G Reacts To Riot
"All hell's breaking loose at
Duke!"
So began this special issue of
The Carolinian, as John
Robinson stormed into the
newsroom with the yellow 1 PI
copy in his hand which told of
the violent student-police
conflict at Duke University.
Student reaction to the news
of the conflict Friday was
diversified. Some felt that the
students had a right to protest if
they felt that their demands
were justifiable. Others felt that
less violent actions would be
better. Most felt that such a
situation would never occur
here, mainly due to the apathy
on the part of the majority of
the student body.
Several students were asked
their opinions about the Duke
situation. Some of their
comments are as follows:
Dave Sharp* news director of
WEHL: Senseless is the first
word. Both sides are in a sense
wrong. The blame can be equally
attributed to both sides. Both
sides lost their heads.
There are basically two
reasons why such a situation
would not occur here. One,
black students aren't that
numerous on this campus nor
have they shown themselves to
be that dissatisfied. Two, this
campus is primarily female. Girls
just don't tend to get that
involved. They care and they
sympathize with, but they just
dont get involved enough to
take over the administration
building. Duke also has a more
diversified student body,
because of its being a more
nationally known institution.
Eva Zelgenfuss: +>uch a
situation would never occur
here. There is too much spsthy
and too little organization. I
guess they were afrisd that Duke
would become another Berkeley.
I would protest if I felt strongly
enough (for a student demand
that the administration would
not consider).
A student who prefers to
remain anonymous stated that
she also felt thst that situation
would not occur here. "If you're
Background To
The Conflict
(Continued on <)
A group of UNC-G students staged a silent march Friday afternoon in support of the Duke students
who occupied the Duke Administration Building Thursday. Another Demonstration of support was held
in Chapel Hill Friday morning.
By JACK PINNIX
(Durham) The occupation of
the Duke Administration
Building, riot, and subsequent
student strike is a manifestation
of a racial conflict that has
troubled the Duke campus for
many months.
Duke's Afro-American
Society gave President Douglas
Knight a list of 10 demands last
October. Many blacks have
apparently felt that Knight was
stalling in considering the
demands. Eleven days ago
(during the Society's "Black ia
Beautiful Week") Knight, in
answer to two of the student
demands, offered the blacks
their own Black advisor snd a
summer remedial program.
At the same time he agreed to
an earlier student demand by
resigning from the segregated
Hope Valley Country Club. Mike
Mc Bride President of the
Afro Amencsn society called
Knight's concessions "stalling
tactics, an attempt to make us
ease up on pressure."
Mondsy night 75 black
students and Dick Gregory
marched to President Knight's
home snd presented 13 demands
(the basis of which were the
original 10 demands.) The group
promised that some unspecified
action would occur in the near
future if the demands were not
honored.
The demands are:
(1) The establishment of a
fully accredited department of
Afro-American studies.
(2) The right to establish a
black dormitory on campus.
(3) A 29% black enrollment at
Duke by 1973 (equal to the
percent of black population in
the U.S. Southeast.J
(4) The reinstatement of
black students who, "because of
the stifling social and
educational environment at
Duke," were unable to achieve
the required academic standing
and were forced to leave the
University.
(5) Financial reassurance for
black students decreased
scholarships threaten to limit the
number of students returning
next fall.
(6) A black advisor selected
only by direct consultation with
black students.
(7) Use of student fees paid
by blacks for a black student
union.
(8) High academic
achievement to be the criterion
for black students for admission
to the University.
(9) Non-academic employees
to have the power to determine
the basis for their working
conditions, rights, and other
employment matters.
(10) An immediate end to
tokenism of black representation
in University power structures.
(11) An immediate end to
police harrastment o) black
students and protection of all
black students at Duke.
(12) The end of grading for
black students.
(13) Total amnesty for all
black students involved.
The requests were not
granted, and Thursday the
unspecified action occurred. It
was accompanied by the
statement, "We seized the
building because we have been
negotiating with Duke
administration and faculty
concerning different issues that
affect black students for two
and a half years. We have no
meaningful results. We have
exhausted all the so-called
proper channels."