DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | University of Iowa football boycott suspension newspaper articles, 1969 | 1969-04-25 Daily Iowan Article: "University Is a Ghetto, Black Charges at Rally"

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University of Iowa football boycott suspension newspaper articles, 1969

1969-04-25 Daily Iowan Article: "University Is a Ghetto, Black Charges at Rally"

DI April 25, 1969

University Is a Ghetto, Black  Charges at Rally
By CONNIE HUGHES
A member of tht Des Moines Black Panther Party called for action, not words, Thursday night, after a spokesman for the Black Athletes Union (BAU) charged that black athletes here are living in a ghetto just as repressive, exploitive, and emasculating as ghettos in cities across the country.
Charles Knox, deputy defense minister of education for the Des Moines Black Panthers, and Jerry Stevens, A4, Denver, a former track man and president of the Afro-American Student Association, representing the BAU, made the remarks at a rally in the Old Chemistry Auditorium.
Stevens said the athletic department "recruits powerful, agile black athletes and puts them on the team to fight." In one Saturday afternoon, he said, they pull in a half million dollars, but one scholarship for one athlete for four years is only $9,000.
"The black athletes come from ghettos in New Orleans, Chicago, Kansas City and they are tossed into a ghetto here just as repressive, exploitive, emasculating. The same situation exists here as across the country because the ghetto is going to explode."
Stevens said that the black athletes depend on athletic scholarships for their education and that now the athletic department and the University are trying to deprive them of their means of education.
"If they want to take away the machinery, then we'll dismantle the machinery and we'll dismantle (Gov. Robert D.) Ray if necessary," he said.
George Hoyt, associate professor of business, said that a meeting held last summer between black athletes and members of the Afro-Americans, supposedly secret, was attended unexpectedly by athletic Director Forest Evashevski and the director of the Board in Control of Athletics. Hoyt said that Evashevski and the director agreed with some of the demands made by the black athletes at the meeting but that nothing had come of it.
"The black athletes tried to use reasonable channels but the whole thing seems to have been thrown in the lake," he said.
Knox, who arrived at the rally an hour and a half after it had begun, urged the athletes to do what they felt necessary to get their demands.
Mrs. Joeanna Cheatom, a leader of the Iowa Welfare Rights Organization, who was also scheduled to address the rally, did not attend.
"This is no game, this is very serious business, Know said. "If you're serious about making some changes, then do it regardless of the consequences.
"We found it out very quickly in Des Moines when three persons were arrested on arson charges. The Des Moines Tribune said it was a victory against the middle class when the charges were dropped against us. What they forgot to say was that we were not acquitted, which means they can bring charges against us up again as soon as they compile some more 'evidence,' " Knox said.

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DI April 25, 1969 University Is a Ghetto, Black Charges at Rally By CONNIE HUGHES A member of tht Des Moines Black Panther Party called for action, not words, Thursday night, after a spokesman for the Black Athletes Union (BAU) charged that black athletes here are living in a ghetto just as repressive, exploitive, and emasculating as ghettos in cities across the country. Charles Knox, deputy defense minister of education for the Des Moines Black Panthers, and Jerry Stevens, A4, Denver, a former track man and president of the Afro-American Student Association, representing the BAU, made the remarks at a rally in the Old Chemistry Auditorium. Stevens said the athletic department "recruits powerful, agile black athletes and puts them on the team to fight." In one Saturday afternoon, he said, they pull in a half million dollars, but one scholarship for one athlete for four years is only $9,000. "The black athletes come from ghettos in New Orleans, Chicago, Kansas City and they are tossed into a ghetto here just as repressive, exploitive, emasculating. The same situation exists here as across the country because the ghetto is going to explode." Stevens said that the black athletes depend on athletic scholarships for their education and that now the athletic department and the University are trying to deprive them of their means of education. "If they want to take away the machinery, then we'll dismantle the machinery and we'll dismantle (Gov. Robert D.) Ray if necessary," he said. George Hoyt, associate professor of business, said that a meeting held last summer between black athletes and members of the Afro-Americans, supposedly secret, was attended unexpectedly by athletic Director Forest Evashevski and the director of the Board in Control of Athletics. Hoyt said that Evashevski and the director agreed with some of the demands made by the black athletes at the meeting but that nothing had come of it. "The black athletes tried to use reasonable channels but the whole thing seems to have been thrown in the lake," he said. Knox, who arrived at the rally an hour and a half after it had begun, urged the athletes to do what they felt necessary to get their demands. Mrs. Joeanna Cheatom, a leader of the Iowa Welfare Rights Organization, who was also scheduled to address the rally, did not attend. "This is no game, this is very serious business, Know said. "If you're serious about making some changes, then do it regardless of the consequences. "We found it out very quickly in Des Moines when three persons were arrested on arson charges. The Des Moines Tribune said it was a victory against the middle class when the charges were dropped against us. What they forgot to say was that we were not acquitted, which means they can bring charges against us up again as soon as they compile some more 'evidence,' " Knox said.