brown university timeline
May 2, 1963
The Northern Student Movement conducts a fund drive in the Faunce post office, seeking buttons with “SNCC” on them, to support voter registration drives in the deep South.
1963
December 12, 1963
James Farmer of the Congress of Racial Equality speaks to the Brown campus about civil rights.
1964
May 18, 1964
Brown-Tougaloo Cooperative Exchange initiated, funded in part by the Ford Foundation
1967
1967
Afro-American Society is founded; Alumni of Color Network founded.
1968
September 16, 1968
The BDH asks if 1968 is “The Year of the Black?,” and discusses new courses and programs for Black students, which are intended to increase their voice on campus and meet the needs of students more generally
October 28, 1968
Andrew Young of the SCLC speaks to the campus, urging new tactics and new approaches to resolve “the race problem”
December 3, 1968
23 Pembroke students warn that they will walk out and “cease to be a part of Pembroke College.” This threat is the endpoint of prolonged and unsuccessful negotiations over the size of the black student population at Brown, among other issues
December 3, 1968
BDH opinion article claims that Pembroke women were “too quick to walk out” and didn’t think through their decision. On the next day, faculty fail to collect support for the more centrist “Project Equality,” and struggle publicly to understand the Pembroke students.
December 6, 1968
At 12 PM, 65 black students walked to the Congden St. Baptist Church and occupied it for the day. Students gathered to hear complaints about the president for failing to listen to student demands.
December 10, 1968
BDH letter to the editor, by the chaplain of university, speaks out in support of the walkout and says Brown, like all of American society, is racist.
1968-1969
The University first adds courses in Black history and Black literature, and then an interdepartmental interdisciplinary concentration in Afro-American Studies approved.
1969
September 29, 1969
One former Brown student and 7 others arrested in Panther support march in downtown Providence.
November 13, 1969
Coalition on Equal Opportunity demands increased opportunity for hiring of minority groups for University positions.
December 13, 1969
After the Coalition’s proposal, the Afro-American Society boycotts classes for two days before negotiating with the University. The Faculty Policy group subsequently recommends the hiring of 12-15 black professors for the 1970-71 academic year. The Advisory and Executive Committee also passes a statement on minority hiring.
1970
1970
Controversy over potential admission bias against black applicants at Pembroke.
1971
1971
Afro-American Studies approved as a stand-alone program, and officially housed in Churchill House.
1972
1972
Sankore Society created for Black faculty and administrators.
1972
Third World students protest in support of the demands of 1968.
1973
1973
Minority Peer Counselor program established.
March 22, 1973
Letter to the editor about racism in the BDH and their refusal to acknowledge the Rites and Reason theatre.
1974
Article by Matthew Wald ‘76 describing subtle and not-so-subtle segregation on campus.
1974
1975
1975
Confronting budget cuts, and insisting that the demands of the 1968 protests should be met, a Third World Coalition takes over University Hall and issues new demands.
1976
April 6, 1976
BDH reports that the university’s Affirmative Action plans have stalled, and cites a fear of minority influx as the reason.
1981
1981
CIA Director William Casey’s speech is disrupted by a reading of “Jabberwocky.” The so-called “Jabberwocky 13” is brought to the University Council of Student Affairs, and given minimal discipline.
1985
February, 1985
A minor fracas in the BDH about whether the desire for black students to sit at black tables at the Ratty counts as seperatism.
April 3, 1985
President Swearer releases a statement, indicating that racial progress has been elusive.
April 17, 1985
Amidst rising tensions on campus, students occupy the John Carter Brown library and a sit in at the Faculty Club. Later 1985 will be renowned for protests in suport of minority faculty hiring, against apartide, and against CIA and defense contractor recruitment.
April 24, 1985
The BDH commemorates the 10 year anniversary of the ’75 takeover of University Hall.
September 6, 1985
White students proclaim the Third World Transition Program to be “separatist.”
October 29, 1985
A coalition of faculty, moved by the protests, creates a new class on American racism and democracy. American Civilization concentrators are required to take the class.
October 30, 1985
The BDH summarizes the state of things, after the “stormy spring” of ’85.
November 4, 1985
The visiting committee appointed by President Howard Swearer to investigate the conditions of racial harmony and minority life on campus concludes its visit.
1986
1986
TWC moves to Partridge Hall.
February 13, 1986
Shantytown is created on the College Green by the Brown Free South African Coalition, and 3 graves are dug on the green to "call attention to the quiet suffering of the South African people." 4 students take up a hunger strike in Manning Chapel, and are disenrolled by the University.
April 22, 1986
Students arrested at the Rhode Island state house for protesting the escalation of US military involvement in Central America.
May 1986
Visiting Committee on Minority Life issues a report with 17 recommendations to “institutionalize racial harmony,” including a required class on diversity, special student support for the TWC and for Latino Students.
October 23, 1986
Asian American students protest the differential treatment of Asian students in the admissions process, promoting President Swearer to direct the Office of Admissions to draft a new and consistent policy
1987
1987
Students urging divestment in South Africa disrupt a Corporation meeting.
1988
1988
Protests lead to the establishment of Ethnic Studies and the Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity.
1989
1989
Rumors of the Ku Klux Klan’s presence on campus circulate. There are also major concerns related to police harassment of black students, and violence on and near campus. A look back in 2004 by the BDH describes it as one of the “most racially charged years in Brown’s history.”
1991
1991
TWC Third World report, “Redefining the Concept of Community: A Framework for Pluralism in the 1990’s.”
1992
1992
Second occupation of University Hall, this time by a group named Students for Admissions and Minority Aid, in support of need-blind admissions. Over 250 students are arrested during the event.
1993
1993
Harambe House created.
1996
1996
Ethnic Studies concentration is approved.
2000
2000
Affinity groups for alumni of color are created.
2001
2001
African American Studies is departmentalized and renamed Africana Studies.
2001
BDH Publishes advertisement against reparations by conservative activist David Horowitz. Students destroy the paper run.
2001
Interim President Shelia Blumstein releases "Reflections on a Shared Vision for Diversity and Community"
July 1, 2001
Brown's first African American present (who is also a women!) is appointed (Ruth J. Simmons) and she becomes the first black president of an Ivy League.
Article by the Brown ACLU condemning student action destroying the paper.
2002
2003
2003
Steering committee on Slavery and Justice established, including faculty, staff, and students.
2006
September 13, 2006
Campus march against police brutality, with chants of 'Brown is brown,' after a black undergraduate student in computer science is racially profiled and arrested.
2006
Diversity action plan released under president Simons, set diversity goals with the help of the newly established Office of Institutional Diversity, and instructs the provost to begin need-blind admission.
2007
2008
September 8, 2008
The TWTP continues to be defined as "separatist," prompting this reply by two participants and leaders.
2011
March 18, 2011
The University releases a "follow up" document on the slavery and justice report, to show what has been done since 2006.
2012
May 2012
Brown Daily Herald proclaims that the Slavery and Justice report has been forgotten, or that it is "dead"
September 2012
The center for the study of Slavery and Justice opens in Alumnae Hall.
2013
October 27 2013
President Paxson issues her report on the University's possible divestment from coal.
Brown Daily Herald:
Majority of Undergraduates support coal divestments
Campus Reacts to Coal Decision
Paxton: Next Steps in the Consideration of Coal Divestment
Rationalizing the Divestment Decision
Divest Coal: Learning to Respect Boundaries
Brown Alumni Magazine:
October 27, 2013
Activism group created stemming from students feeling their concerns on campus where not being taken into consideration after the universities decision with coal divestments. They choose to tackle speaker Raymond Kelly's visit to campus next, calling for the lectures cancelation.
October 28, 2013
In preparation for the planned protest at Ray Kelly's lecture, activists hold a vigil. The community begins to disagree how the protesters should voice their concerns.
October 29, 2013
Ray Kelly Lecture Canceled after student protest. President Paxton issued a letter to the campus community in response.
October 30, 2013
Faculty and students gather to discuss the incidents of the Ray Kelly protests. Most people agree with the student's disapproval of Kelly's policies, but not with the protest itself.
October 30, 2013
Teach in discusses the racial implications of the "stop-and-frisk" policies.
November 2013
With all the talks around campus, the Brown community becomes increasingly divided on the Kelly controversy.
November 7, 2013
Committee is created to decided upon the university actions in response to the Ray Kelly protests. President Paxton's role comes up or debate.
2014
March, 2014
The center for the Study of Slavery and Justice from the Alumnae Hall to a new, stand alone building on Waterman street.
April 22, 2014
Brown is charged with mishandling a sexual assault case, and on the 22nd, students and faculty gather in solidarity to hear the results of the case.
October, 2014
With the year anniversary of .Ray Kelly's scheduled talk in 2013, the protest back into conversation.
November 18, 2014
Forum sparks sexual assault debate, raising the question, again, of freedom of speech at brown.
November 25, 2014
After the supreme court's ruling on the Ferguson case, protesters spill on to I-95.
December 2, 2014
Brown students stage a "die-in" to protest the Ferguson grand jury decision.
2015
March 2015
The fraternity Phi Psi undergoes investigation their involvement in the drug and rape of two female Brown students. The investigation produces controversy in the Brown community.
March 5, 2015
A group of Brown students protest the Universities recent handling of sexual assault cases at the Women Leaders Panel.
March 11, 2015
400 Brown students silently march though the quiet green to protest against the Universities poor handling of sexual assault cases.
October 5, 2015
BDH publishes 'The White Privilege of Cows' causing reactions across campus for its racial insensitivity. They later publish an apology.
October 12, 2015
Brown students stage a "die-in" to demand greater resignation for native Americans.
November 12, 2015
in solidarity with Mizzou and Yale, and because of the rising hostilities on the Brown campus, activists hold a blackout in protest.
December 5, 2015
"Day of Reclamation" as students occupy parts of University Hall, publishing a list of Demands.
2016
February 18, 2016
BDH article and COED write articles claiming how the large amount protests are causing Brown students to fail and drop out of classes.
March 16, 2016
Student protests cause guest speaker Janet Mock to cancel her talk at Brown.
April 7, 2016
Candidates for the Undergraduate Council of Students presidency brought the role and mandate of UCS into focus as they squared off on social justice activism, the Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan, mental health, sexual assault and other hot-button campus issues at the debate.
April 21, 2016
Brown university students protest graduate students use of cultural approtpriation in their "Hindu performance."
April 30, 2016
BDH publishes an article about how years of activism shaped the Paxton administration.
July 12, 2016
Graduate student makes documentary explores what he calls Brown's 'censorship culture.'
November 14, 2016
Brown students tear up the American flag on Veterans Day causing counter protests.
November 16, 2016
Over 400 Brown students protest on the quite green in light of the 2016 election results.
December, 2016
BDH Brown Bites publishes a review of the activism throughout the year.
2017
2017
Brown students circulate a petition to protest the honorary degree to be awarded at that years commencement to Pepsi Co CEO, and Trump supporter, Indra Nooyi.
2018
February 14, 2018
Brown students write a response to the circulation of anti-black pamphlets.
May 4, 2018
A student creates the SPEAK program to diversify speakers at Brown, but the Ray Kelly incident is not forgotten, reflected in the university's protest and demonstration policy.
December 5, 2018
Students participate in a walk out and protest to commemorate the 1968 walkout, some students make a list of demands about Browns current progress in diversity and inclusion. This illicits a response from president Paxton.