Conclusion

     During the 1973-1974 academic year, students at North Carolina State University successfully lobbied university administrators for the establishment of an African American Cultural Center on campus. Through campus newspapers, a student conference, and a campus protest, white and African American students demonstrated to administrators their commitment to the establishment of such a center and to creating a positive, safe environment for African American students. This controversy required students of both races to work together, air their concerns, and to develop something new and interesting on campus.

     The African American Cultural Center is still open at NC State, however it moved to the newly constructed Student Center Annex in 1991. In 1994 the Board of Trustees renamed the Annex the Augustus McIver Witherspoon Student Center, making it the first building on campus to be named after an African American. The Cultural Center still strives to “[promote] awareness of an appreciation for African American and other African descent experiences through activities and events that enhance academic excellence and strengthen cultural competence for the campus and surrounding communities.”

Visit other Exhibits in Crossing the Color Line.