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Allen Building Takeover, Feb 13, 1969

On the morning of February 13, 1969, between 50 and 75 black students entered the Allen Building and proceeded to barricade and occupy it. They renamed the building the Malcolm X Liberation School. The students issued a list of demands to the administration. Provost Marcus Hobbs read a statement to the students at about 3:30 pm, urging them to leave the building within one hour to begin a peaceful discussion of the issues. Sometime after 5 o'clock, after a warning from Provost Hobbs that they would face legal ramifications for staying, the students decided to exit. Although the exit was peaceful, a large crowd of mostly white students had gathered outside the building during the day, and this crowd and the police became entangled. The police fired tear gas on the students.

 

One of the students in the Allen Building talks with those outside
February 13, 1969

Police use teargas on the crowd
February 13, 1969

Police use tear gas on a crowd, February 13, 1969

A mimeographed list of the student protesters' demands
February 13, 1969

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