Black Power on Campus: The University of Illinois, 1965-75

by Joy Ann WIlliamson

Joy Ann Williamson charts the evolution of black consciousness on predominately white American campuses during the critical period between the mid-1960s and mid-1970s, with the Black student movement at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign serving as an illuminating microcosm of similar movements across the country. Drawing on student publications of the late 1960s and early 1970s, as well as interviews with student activists, former administrators, and faculty, Williamson discusses the emergence of Black Power ideology, what constituted "blackness," and notions of self-advancement versus racial solidarity. Promoting an understanding of the role of black youth in protest movements, Black Power on Campus is an important contribution to the literature on African American liberation movements and the reform of American higher education.

Genres: History

216 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2003

Reviews

[Brenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

The information here is great. There were tons of (unfortunate) parallels to current external and internal challenges the university is facing right now, like government scrutiny, the ethics of student protest, and increasing student populations intersecting with federal funding cuts, and I liked being able to connect the locations and groups of the 60's to my experience of Illinois now.

However, this book was a chronological nightmare. The author jumps from year to year and back again in a way that makes it hard to visualize any sort of clear timeline of the civil rights movements on campus and in the nation as a whole, and some of the student features are confusing. Additionally, some of the main points are rather repetitive and even conflicting -- all of these factors made for a LOT of flipping back and forth to try to reorient myself in the narrative.

[Imani ♥ ☮ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent portrayal of the Black Studies Movement within the context of the University of Illinois. Published by the University of Illinois Press which, although not directly affiliated per se with UofI administration, it can definitely be said to influence what is written about its own school! I think that at times the book was a bit heavy handed with its use of characterizing Black students as "aggressive" which is a racially charged word.

[Stephanie Nguyen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This history of the Black Power movement at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign is excellent and a must read for budding educational historians. It’s great in content, methodology, and writing. The writing is interesting and complex, offering different perspectives between students, administrators, and faculty members. Williamson builds an excellent backstory to how Black Power arrived on campus using mostly archival collections at UIUC. Even though she uses once archival source, she does so with depth and complexity. She consults both student and administration collections to deliver a balanced perspective between student needs and administrative demands. Perhaps this was beyond the scope of Williamson’s study, yet I think the two things missing for me was how Black Power organizing looked different at a PWI versus an HBCU. I also wanted to know I know how Black Power movements differed at Midwestern universities compared to Black Power movements on the West and East Coast. Williamson does touch on the influence of state politics and the black community in Chicago, yet I wish she explored how a pre-dominantly White region and culture can influence the Black Power movement. Some folks kind of poo poo on single case studies, I am a believer of quality over quantity. And I think Williamson’s history is a textbook classic for higher education historians.

[Teniell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, I enjoyed this book and its perspective on the American Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. The author shares a lot of detail about the students and protests at the University of Illinois, but I would have liked to see more organization and clarity in her writing style. Overall a good and quick read.

[Jana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Required textbook for Foundations in Higher Education Class.

[Neil · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting look at a pivotal time at the University of Illinois. Williamson does a nice job of setting up and tracing the Black Power movement on campus.