Aleph Number:
Patrons must sign the Acknowledgement of Legal Responsibility and Privacy Rights form before using this collection.
Copyright for Official University records is held by Duke University; all other copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
Digitized materials from this collection are made available for use in research, teaching and private study. The digital reproductions have been made available through an evaluation of public domain status, permissions from the rights' holders, and authorization under the law including fair use as codified in 17 U.S.C. § 107. Although these materials are publicly accessible for these limited purposes, they may not all be in the public domain. Users are responsible for determining if permission for re-use is necessary and for obtaining such permission. Individuals who have concerns about online access to specific content should contact the Rubenstein Library.
[Identification of item], Black Student Alliance records, University Archives, Duke University.
The Black Student Alliance Records were received as a gifts transfers from 1977 to 2006.
Processed by Emily Glenn, completed March, 2003. 2005 addition processed by Jill Katte, May 2005. 2006 addition processed by Jill Katte, Sept. 2006.
Encoded by Emily Glenn, March 2003
Accessions described in this finding aid: UA2006-0043, 2005-0026, 98-35, 90-27, 82-61, and 77-200.
Updated by Jill Katte, Sept. 2006, and encoded for digitization by Jessica Carew, May 2012
The Afro-American Society (now the Black Student Alliance) was established at Duke University in 1967, four years after the first Black undergraduates were admitted. The Afro-American Society was a social and activist group created to support students as they dealt with the challenges of Black life at a previously segregated institution.
The Afro-American Society's first political statement was made at the Hope Valley Study-In on November 13, 1967. Thirty-five members of the Afro-American Society staged a day long study-in protest in the lobby of President Knight's office. The study-in denounced the use of segregated facilities by University organizations and the membership of key University officers, including President Knight, in the segregated Hope Valley Country Club. The 1960s continued to be a turbulent time for race relations at Duke University. On February 13, 1969, Afro-American Society students led a Black student takeover of the Allen Building to spark University action on the concerns of Black students. The Allen Building takeover brought attention to issues such as establishment of an Afro-American studies program, a Black cultural center, and increasing the number of Black faculty and students.
In 1971, the Afro-American Society was renamed the Association of African Students (The Association). In 1976, the Association assumed its present title, the Black Student Alliance (BSA). The Black Student Alliance continued to provide a cultural base for Black students at the University, growing into a major student organization on campus.
In the 1980s, when Black enrollment began to decrease, the Black Student Alliance joined forces with the Undergraduate Admissions Office to make Black recruitment a primary goal. The Black Student Alliance Invitational Weekend, held each spring, allows prospective students to visit the campus and get to know the Duke experience from a Black perspective. The Reggie Howard Memorial Scholarship honors the first Black student government president, who served during 1976. This scholarship is offered to freshman students who demonstrate academic achievement and leadership potential.
Some of the publications of the Black Student Alliance are
Contains fliers, memoranda, correspondence, printed e-mail, minutes, newsletters, reports, charts, a scrapbook, printed materials pertaining to the activities of the Black Student Alliance and related Black and African American student groups at Duke University from 1969-2006 (bulk 1996-2006). Forms part of the University Archives at Duke University.
These and related materials may be accessed under the following subject headings in the Duke University Libraries online catalog.
Unbound scrapbook created by BSA, detailing the organization's activities during the 2004/2005 academic year. Includes copies of and reactions to Philip Kurian's "The Jews," information about campus race relations, stereotypes, and police discrimination, as well as minority recruitment weekend, social events, community outreach, and public service activities. Scrapbook was created electronically with scanned materials and digital images, then printed on a color laser printer -- no loose materials glued or mounted.