DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | University of Iowa Afro-American Cultural Center, 1968-2009 | 1970-07-09 Daily Iowan Article: "Black Students Own Turf At Afro-American House"

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University of Iowa Afro-American Cultural Center, 1968-2009

1970-07-09 Daily Iowan Article: "Black Students Own Turf At Afro-American House"

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1 (of 2) 
DI 7/9/70 

Black Students Own Turf At Afro-American House

By LYNNE LILLIS

Afro-American Cultural Center - the carefully painted white sign announced in bold black letters. I stared at the building - a white two-story frame house on the corner of Market and Capitol streets. 
    I had passed by the building many times during the past year. I had never gone in - partially because I carried a heavy academic load and did not have time to stop and partically because I am white. 
   But after I decided to write a story on the Afro-American Cultural Center I experienced mixed emotions.
    First I hesitated. I wondered if I would be welcomed as a member of the press. Secondly, and perhaps the more pertinent of my concerns was the fact that I am white. Would the students want to talk with me?
    I called the Center and explained who i was and asked if there would be someone with whom I could speak about the Center. The telephone receiver was passed to a series of people, none of whom would say any more than to ask me who I was and what I wanted. I answered both questions several times. 
    Finally the receiver was given to a young man who informed me that if I came by the next afternoon there would be someone there to talk with me. I asked  for the name of the person I was to call upon and asked for a definite appointment and was given both. 
   The next day at 4:30 I showed up at the Afro-American Cultural Center. In order to make the appointment on time I had to almost bribe my dentist to finish my dental appointment that afternoon abruptly. Complete with frozen mouth and tape recorder I arrived eager for the appointment. 
   By this time my hesitation about entering the Center had vanished. I had developed quite a curiosity to learn more about it and what it offered to all students. 
   I was met on the front steps by a young man. I stopped in front of him. 
   " Hi," I said. No response. 
" Hi," I tried again. " I'm from the DI. I'm supposed to meet with. . . " and I went on to explain my presence and who I was to interview. 
 " He's not here." 
  " Oh," I said. " But I'm sure we had an appointment. Did he leave a message for me?"
  " No" 
  " Is there anyone else I can talk with," I asked beginning to feel desperate. I was confused. 
  " No." 
I stood awkwardly on the steps for a few moments. Then I turned and left.
  As I turned to leave the young black man on the steps said " Try back in an hour, There will be someone here then."
   Throughout the next four days I was unable to contact anyone at the Center who would talk with me. 
  I, quite literally, was taken back by the cold fronts my interviewing efforts met. I hadn't meant to seem patronizing; I hadn't meant to offend anyone. 
   Later  I asked Mitchell Green, present coordinator of the Afro-American Studies Program, if he thought I had been turned away because  was white. 
  " You may have been," Green replied. "White students will go over to the house and be treated coldly.
   " But I don't think this is serious in itself. For the young blacks, it's the thing to do (rejecting whites) - it's like talking as black as you can, dressing as black as you can, walking as black as you can." 
  " It's not any deeper than that.The Afro-American Cultural House is providing them with a place for unity," Green explained. 
  Speaking about blacks throughout the nation, Green said, " never before have we seen such a degree of unity of black people - on all levels. There is a high degree of group identity and thereby security. Within this identity comes a solidarity that frees the black and allows him to become more creative." 
   This explains for me why I have so often heard black soul music echoing throughout the Afro-house when walking by it.
  Discussing the function of the Afro-American house, Green said. 
   " It isn't just for black students; it is for University; it is for University students. We hope it will become an equal part of the University and not an autonomous unit."
   Black students number less than one per cent on the University campus now. 
   Green explained that both the Afro-American Studies Program and the Afro-American Cultural Center depict the Afro-American tradition. 
   " With the two we hope for an integrated Afro-American program on campus" he commented. 
    Green added, " Some blacks have wondered why the Afro-American house here on campus is not confined to the use of 'blacks only' Besides the obvious fact that this would be merely prejudice in reverse. I explained to them that such a restriction on the house was also 

[photo]
Dialogue is Sometimes Heated.

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[handwritten] 1 (of 2) DI 7/9/70 Black Students Own Turf At Afro-American House By LYNNE LILLIS Afro-American Cultural Center - the carefully painted white sign announced in bold black letters. I stared at the building - a white two-story frame house on the corner of Market and Capitol streets. I had passed by the building many times during the past year. I had never gone in - partially because I carried a heavy academic load and did not have time to stop and partically because I am white. But after I decided to write a story on the Afro-American Cultural Center I experienced mixed emotions. First I hesitated. I wondered if I would be welcomed as a member of the press. Secondly, and perhaps the more pertinent of my concerns was the fact that I am white. Would the students want to talk with me? I called the Center and explained who i was and asked if there would be someone with whom I could speak about the Center. The telephone receiver was passed to a series of people, none of whom would say any more than to ask me who I was and what I wanted. I answered both questions several times. Finally the receiver was given to a young man who informed me that if I came by the next afternoon there would be someone there to talk with me. I asked for the name of the person I was to call upon and asked for a definite appointment and was given both. The next day at 4:30 I showed up at the Afro-American Cultural Center. In order to make the appointment on time I had to almost bribe my dentist to finish my dental appointment that afternoon abruptly. Complete with frozen mouth and tape recorder I arrived eager for the appointment. By this time my hesitation about entering the Center had vanished. I had developed quite a curiosity to learn more about it and what it offered to all students. I was met on the front steps by a young man. I stopped in front of him. " Hi," I said. No response. " Hi," I tried again. " I'm from the DI. I'm supposed to meet with. . . " and I went on to explain my presence and who I was to interview. " He's not here." " Oh," I said. " But I'm sure we had an appointment. Did he leave a message for me?" " No" " Is there anyone else I can talk with," I asked beginning to feel desperate. I was confused. " No." I stood awkwardly on the steps for a few moments. Then I turned and left. As I turned to leave the young black man on the steps said " Try back in an hour, There will be someone here then." Throughout the next four days I was unable to contact anyone at the Center who would talk with me. I, quite literally, was taken back by the cold fronts my interviewing efforts met. I hadn't meant to seem patronizing; I hadn't meant to offend anyone. Later I asked Mitchell Green, present coordinator of the Afro-American Studies Program, if he thought I had been turned away because was white. " You may have been," Green replied. "White students will go over to the house and be treated coldly. " But I don't think this is serious in itself. For the young blacks, it's the thing to do (rejecting whites) - it's like talking as black as you can, dressing as black as you can, walking as black as you can." " It's not any deeper than that.The Afro-American Cultural House is providing them with a place for unity," Green explained. Speaking about blacks throughout the nation, Green said, " never before have we seen such a degree of unity of black people - on all levels. There is a high degree of group identity and thereby security. Within this identity comes a solidarity that frees the black and allows him to become more creative." This explains for me why I have so often heard black soul music echoing throughout the Afro-house when walking by it. Discussing the function of the Afro-American house, Green said. " It isn't just for black students; it is for University; it is for University students. We hope it will become an equal part of the University and not an autonomous unit." Black students number less than one per cent on the University campus now. Green explained that both the Afro-American Studies Program and the Afro-American Cultural Center depict the Afro-American tradition. " With the two we hope for an integrated Afro-American program on campus" he commented. Green added, " Some blacks have wondered why the Afro-American house here on campus is not confined to the use of 'blacks only' Besides the obvious fact that this would be merely prejudice in reverse. I explained to them that such a restriction on the house was also [photo] Dialogue is Sometimes Heated.