The Black Student Voice newsletters, July 1968

Biographical / Historical

The Black Student Voice was a newsletter published by the "Office of Afro-American Affairs" at Indiana University. This group was established by Black student activists in the spring of 1968 as a means of advocating for the creation of a formal university office to oversee the academic, social, and financial wellbeing of Black students, faculty, and staff, as well as an academic program in Black Studies.

Besides the publication of the newsletter, the Office's lobbying efforts included presentations at the Board of Trustees meeting in September 1968 and Faculty Council meeting in January 1969. In April 1969, the Board of Trustees appointed Professor Orlando Taylor the Acting Vice Chancellor of Afro-American Affairs to oversee an official IU Office of Afro-American Affairs and the establishment of an Afro-American Studies department. However, because of Dr. Taylor's support of the students during the Ballantine Hall Lock-In, the Trustees withdrew the offer the following month. In February 1970, Herman C. Hudson, then an associate professor with the School of Education, was named Acting Vice Chancellor for Afro-American Affairs and then named Vice Chancellor in June 1971.

The purpose of the Office of Afro-American Affairs was to organize some of the social and academic activities of Black students at Indiana University. The office grew over the years under the leadership of Herman Hudson. The office no longer exists but some of its efforts are now part of the work of the Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Multicultural Affairs, which strives to cultivate a diverse, inclusive environment that supports equal access, participation, and representation on all IU campuses.