Black Voices At CSB/SJU
Dublin Core
Title
Black Voices At CSB/SJU
Description
For nearly a century, Black students, employees and visitors to the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University have been raising their voices. Their words call our community to live up to our Benedictine values of hospitality, justice, peace, and respect for persons. This exhibit restores and amplifies those voices as we continue to work toward the common good.
The first two Black students at Saint John’s were Etienne Dupuch, from the Bahamas, and Walter Jones, from Washington D.C. They both came far from home in 1927 and paved the way for a more diverse student body. Shortly after came Eugene Dupuch, ’34, brother of Etienne. We continue to raise Eugene Dupuch’s voice today as he was composer of the Johnny Fight Song, joyously sung at athletic events.
Kathleen Yanes and Gertrude Danavall were the first Black students at Saint Benedict’s, arriving from New York in 1938. Sister Claire Lynch gave voice to support of these students after some alums objected, saying “our status as a Catholic college will be but improved by an act which is, after all, only outward evidence of our belief in Christian--not to say Catholic-¬principles.”
Today CSB and SJU continue to seek ways to hear and respond to African-American voices, including a commitment to confronting racism. The actions of predecessors described here give us conscience and courage to build a more inclusive and welcoming community.
The first two Black students at Saint John’s were Etienne Dupuch, from the Bahamas, and Walter Jones, from Washington D.C. They both came far from home in 1927 and paved the way for a more diverse student body. Shortly after came Eugene Dupuch, ’34, brother of Etienne. We continue to raise Eugene Dupuch’s voice today as he was composer of the Johnny Fight Song, joyously sung at athletic events.
Kathleen Yanes and Gertrude Danavall were the first Black students at Saint Benedict’s, arriving from New York in 1938. Sister Claire Lynch gave voice to support of these students after some alums objected, saying “our status as a Catholic college will be but improved by an act which is, after all, only outward evidence of our belief in Christian--not to say Catholic-¬principles.”
Today CSB and SJU continue to seek ways to hear and respond to African-American voices, including a commitment to confronting racism. The actions of predecessors described here give us conscience and courage to build a more inclusive and welcoming community.
Creator
College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University Libraries
Source
College of Saint Benedict Archives
Saint John's University Archives
Saint John's University Archives
Collection Items
O.A.A.S. (1970)
Yearbook photo of students involved in CSB/SJU's Organization of African American Students. The Organization of Afro-Associated Students was founded in 1968. The name quickly changed to the Organization of Afro-American Students, which then became…
Davis Benefit Draws 500 Persons
Newspaper account of rally in support of Angela Davis at the College of Saint Benedict, 1972.
Shirley Chisholm
In 1969, Father Paul Gopaul organized the first Black Studies course at Saint John’s University. This course was televised to six different universities. In this class, Fr. Gopaul interviewed prominent people in politics, including Shirley Chisholm.…
Lucille Clifton
The Lila Wallace-Reader’s Digest Writing Fellows Program funded Lucille Clifton’s residency at CSB/SJU in February and March 1994. A battle with breast cancer caused postponement of a planned return in Fall 1994, but she was able to visit campus…
Julian Bond
Civil rights activist and legislator Julian Bond spoke at SJU on November 8, 1978. The event was poorly publicized so there were only 100 people in attendance. Bond made a forty-minute speech on, “Apotheosis of the New Politics,” which was met by a…
Bernard Lafayette
Dr. Bernard Lafayette is a civil rights activist who was involved in the creation of the Student Nonviolent Coordination Committee. Lafayette was the keynote speaker of the CSB/SJU Peace Studies Conference on October 14, 2013. This was the same…
50 Years Later
Photo of College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University presidents with alums from the 1970s. First photo from the left: Michael Hemesath; Lewis Nixon; Charles Bush; Mary Hinton; John Adams; and Ronald Morris. The alums gave a panel…
We've Only Just Begun: Students' Experiences During the 1970s
Poster of panel presentation for O.A.A.S. alums from Saint John's University held September 28, 2017. Participants include Lewis Nixon '71, Charles Bush '75, John Adams '77 and Ronald Morris '70.
Coalition for Black Cultural Awareness (1991)
Yearbook photo of the Coalition for Black Cultural Awareness, including its first elected president Lee Lindsey.
Coalition for Black Cultural Awareness
Yearbook photo featuring speakers for Coalition for Black Cultural Awareness at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University. The student organization advocated for and provided information about Black culture on campus.