Desirae Brown-Bush

B.A., Sociology, 2020

In the 2015-16 academic year, colleges and universities across the United States saw an uprising of student protests followed by student demands. These demands were made primarily by African American and other student of color unions. Students rallied to challenge the history and culture of racism on their campuses, primarily on Predominately White Institutions. They did so by demanding their universities to actively commit to updating, changing and enacting a multitude of diversity initiatives that include but are not limited to, the hiring of more Black faculty, the opening of Black cultural centers, and increasing Black student enrollment and retention. This research will be a comparative analysis of student protest and demands of the University of Oregon; focusing on the 1967-68 and 2015-16 academic years. It will begin by studying the racial histories of Eugene, OR which will provide the framework for the continued and current racial climate in the area that has launched social activism. With this framework, this research will examine the UO Black Student Union’s Demands of 1968, as well as the climate and outcomes after such grievances were issued to the University. Once there is an understanding of the discourse among Black students and the response of the University in 1968, we will move forward, examining the 2015-era of student protest. This research will explore the rise of Black student protest in Eugene, again in 2015; using the UO Black Student Task Force Demands to President Michael Schill, to study the similar grievances placed by Black Students nearly 50 years after the original demands. The research will study the social and institutional outcomes of each era of protest, and efforts made to move forward.