Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History to host Springfield College exhibit examining Black Student Activism on campus in the 1960s

Springfield College News

April 7, 2022 (04/07/2022) — Contact: Office of Communications

Steve Roulier (413) 748-3717 (office), (413) 896-3298 (cell)

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - A Springfield College student-research exhibit, A Legacy of Campus Activism: The Springfield College Protests of 1969-1970, will run from March 29 to June 26 at the Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History. The exhibit, researched and produced by current Springfield College students, includes both a panel installation and short documentary film. The work was supported by a grant from the Council of Independent Colleges' Humanities Research for the Public Good program.

A Legacy of Campus Activism pays tribute to the history and legacy of Black student activism and protest at the College in the late 1960s. Such concerns as student acceptance rates, scholarships, additional courses in Black studies, and fair representation in all manner of student life were at the forefront of the student activists' campaign. Many prominent local Civil Rights advocates weighed in, leading to campaigns within the broader Springfield community focused on racial equality, and questioning of the role the College played in its sensitivity to the needs of the surrounding neighborhood. Utilizing the College's archival collections, the student researchers have brought together period photographs, documents and video interviews with former Black student activists to reflect on those experiences and relate them to campus life today.

Springfield College students Isabella Bruns of New Lebanon, NY, Jack Duignan of Monroe, CT, Emily Gentile of Wolcott, CT, Sabrina Moore of Brooklyn, NY, and Sabrina Williams of Hartford, CT collaborated to research and produce the exhibit. Moore will present her research at the CIC closing conference for the CIC's Humanities Research for the Public Good program in Baltimore, MD, in late April.

The grant project was conceived and directed by Associate Professor of History Ian Delahanty, Ph.D., and College archivist Jeffrey Monseau. In addition, students in Prof. Delahanty's history class, Making History Public, contributed important research to the project.

On April 14, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m., the Wood Museum's Museum a la Carte series will feature a moderated panel discussion with two veterans of the campus movement and two present-day Springfield College students who have followed in their footsteps both as activists on campus and as researchers and historians who are telling their stories. Panelists will reflect on the history of the College's Black student protests and discuss their significance to the College and community in the present. Attendees will be invited to share their thoughts on how grappling with this history can yield insights into contemporary issues.

Members of the Springfield Museums and Springfield residents receive free admission. Admission for non-residents and non-members is $4. A limited number of free admissions or Zoom registrations are available through Springfield College by contacting Prof. Delahanty at idelahanty@springfieldcollege.edu.

Additional information about the event can be found on the Springfield Museum program page.

Springfield College is an independent, nonprofit, coeducational institution founded in 1885. Approximately 4,100 students, including 2,500 full-time undergraduate students, study at its main campus in Springfield, Mass., and at its regional campuses across the country. Springfield College inspires students through the guiding principles of its Humanics philosophy - educating in spirit, mind, and body for leadership in service to others.