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Campus racism more subtle1958 KU graduatenotes differencesfor minoritiesDavid Doi-mi-and/Journai.-World PhotoJohn Gardenhire, a 1958 Kansas University graduate, spoke Wednesday night on the history of black students at KU.• Black students at KU face less overt racism now than in the past, a 1958 graduate says, but the subtleties make it more difficult for today's minority groups to work for further change.By Kristy Dorseyj ouRNAL-Would W ritek_When John Gardenhire looks in his college yearbook, he sees no pictures of his black friends or his fraternity's activities, including the eight major gatherings Alpha Phi Alpha hosted every year.As far as the vast part of the campus was concerned, we didn't exist, the 1958 graduate said in an interview Wednesday. We had to make for ourselves an environment that was supportive and nurturing.For us, it was our job to make the university and the community serve us, and that's what we did.Some of the ways they made things work for them included integrating toilet accommodations on campus and changing seating rules at local restaurants and movie theaters, he said.Although blacks could attend KU, they could not eat in most restaurants around campus when Gardenhire first came to Lawrence.Gardenhire, who now is chair of the English department at Laney College in Oakland, Calif., was in town this week to speak during Black Awareness Week. The events were sponsored by Black Student Union in recognition of the group's 25th anniversary.Even without yearbook photos, Gardenhire vividly remembers the good and the bad aspects of being a black student on campus in the 1950s.1 had one professor tell me 1 had the most complete notebook he had ever seen, but he said he didn't give black students 'As', so 1 got a 'B' instead, he said. I said, 'You're going to give me a 'B' even with all of this?' And sure enough, he did.The kids today don't have to put up with that, or at least the racism is more subtle.They don't know what their challenges are because the racist attitudes are primarily under the surface now.j— John GardenhirePrevailing attitudes and overt racism gave black students in the 1950s something tangible to work against, Gardenhire said. Those experiences gave them networking skills and strong senses of self-acceptance that he suspects many minority students at KU today may not have.These kids on campus today don't know what to attack, he said. They don't know what their challenges are because the racist attitudes are primarily under the surface now.There's a kind of fire and energy that we had that I don't see in these kids — and maybe that's a good thing. But if they haven't developed that sense of self-reliance, that sense of self-acceptance and confidence, I don't knowhow they're going to manage out in the real world.Gardenhire said part of the students' energy and fire in the '50's came from the fact that on campus, they had no adult black role models or mentors.There was no such thing as a black faculty, he said, or at least if there was, I didn't see it. But the funny thing was, itnever occurred to us that that was a real problem.BSU president Terry Be said although there are more minority faculty members on campus today, there are still severe inequities that need to be leveled.There is no real diversity of faculty other than male-female, Bell said. The power positions in the faculty are all white and predominately male. There are no blacks filling any dean positions.Although there were problems in the 1950s for blacks at KU, and although some problems continue to exist, Gardenhire said he still felthe and his classmates had a great educational experience in Lawrence.Academically, KU was wonderful, he said. The kids my age that came out of here are entrepreneurs, professionals — really successful people. You would be proud to know any of them.Also, I got a sense of self and I got a sense of hope from the time I was here, which I think is invaluable.
Newspaper Details
Lawrence Journal World
Lawrence, Kansas, US
Fri, Oct 29, 1993
Page 31
Full Page
Clipped by
Salina P.
KS, USA 13 Apr 2023
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