Lori Meadows
The University of Chicago has a long history of educating Black students and was unique among the nation's top universities in its willingness to allow students of colour and women to pursue advanced studies. Between 1870 and 1940, 45 African American students were granted PhDs, more than at any other institution in the nation. However, Black students at the university have also faced significant challenges, including racism and social exclusion. Today, the university continues to grapple with issues of race and diversity, with some students reporting feelings of isolation and a lack of representation in leadership positions. Nonetheless, Black students at the University of Chicago have a strong history of resilience and reliance on each other, and many have gone on to become intellectual leaders across the nation.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Was the University of Chicago integrated? | Initially, it was not an integrated school, but it slowly started enrolling small numbers of Black students and women directly after the end of the Civil War. |
| How many Black students were enrolled initially? | Between 1870 and 1940, 45 African American students were granted PhDs. In the first decade of the 20th century, nine African Americans earned undergraduate degrees, while five earned graduate degrees. |
| Were Black students allowed to stay in campus dorms? | Initially, Black students were not allowed to stay in campus dorms. However, this changed when Ernest DeWitt Burton became president in 1923 and developed a new policy that allowed Black students to stay in the dorms. |
| Were Black students integrated into social life? | While Black students were integrated into the intellectual life of the institution, they were not integrated into the social life of the institution. |
| Were there any notable Black students or alumni? | Notable Black alumni include Monroe Nathan Work, Carter G. Woodson, Benjamin Mays, Katherine Dunham, Vivian Harsh, and Barack Obama. |
| What is the current climate for Black students? | Even in the modern day, the University of Chicago has one of the largest private police departments in the US, which has been accused of racist policing and profiling. Race relations within the student body trend towards amicable ignorance, with non-minority students engaging in discussions of race passively and from a distance. |
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What You'll Learn
- The University of Chicago was unique in allowing students of colour to pursue advanced studies
- The university's Black students have often found community outside of the institution
- Black students at UChicago have described feeling hyperaware of their race
- The university's Black alumni include many post-Reconstruction era intellectuals
- UChicago's Black students have experienced racist policing and profiling on campus
The University of Chicago was unique in allowing students of colour to pursue advanced studies
The University of Chicago has a long history of educating students of colour. From its founding, the university was unique in its willingness to allow students of colour and women to pursue advanced studies.
The University's precursor, the Old University of Chicago, was founded in 1856 or 1857 by Baptists on 35th Street and Cottage Grove Avenue. The Baptist leaders of the Old University held a strong commitment to human equality and supported abolitionist ideals. Union General S. A. Hurlbut was invited to give a speech at the university, in which he argued that everyone, including former slaves, should be educated. This allowed small numbers of Black students to enrol in the Old University.
When Harper and Rockefeller founded the new University of Chicago in 1890, they continued the old university's commitment to openness. The first class included an African American, Cora Bell Jackson, AB 1896. Over the next several decades, when not many schools admitted Black students, the University of Chicago stood out. A researcher at Oberlin, enquiring about the University's admissions policies, received the following response: "One of the fundamental principles of the University of Chicago is democracy and therefore our courses have been open to negroes on the same terms as members of the white race from the beginning."
Between 1870 and 1940, 45 African American students were granted PhDs at the University of Chicago, more than at any other institution in the nation. In the first decade of the 20th century alone, nine African Americans earned undergraduate degrees, while five more earned graduate degrees. Notable alumni include Monroe Nathan Work, Carter G. Woodson, Benjamin Mays, Katherine Dunham, and Vivian Harsh.
However, despite the University's relative openness to admitting students of colour, Black students often faced racism and social exclusion on campus. For example, in 1907, graduate student Cecilia Johnson was accused of trying to pass as white to join a sorority and was outed in the Tribune. In the same year, Georgiana Simpson, later one of the first Black women to earn a doctorate, was banished from her dorm after protests by white, Southern students.
Even in more recent times, Black students at the University of Chicago have reported feelings of isolation and hyperawareness of their race. The University has been described as having a culture of "colour blindness", where discussions of race are often passive and distant. Additionally, the University controls one of the largest private police departments in the US, which has been accused of racist policing and profiling on and around the campus.
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The university's Black students have often found community outside of the institution
The University of Chicago has a long history of educating Black students, with 45 African Americans having been granted PhDs between 1870 and 1940—more than at any other institution in the nation. The university was founded in 1890 by Harper and Rockefeller, who continued the old university's commitment to openness. The first class included an African American, Cora Bell Jackson, AB 1896.
However, despite this long history, the University of Chicago has been described as a predominantly white institution, with one student sharing that they were aware of this fact upon acceptance but did not fully grasp the extent of it until they arrived on campus. This student experience is not unique, as many Black students at the university have found themselves in an overflowing sea of white people. This dynamic has resulted in Black students feeling hyperaware of their race, with the university's culture of color blindness and emphasis on free expression potentially enabling hate speech.
The social life on campus has historically been unwelcoming to Black students, with racism abounding. For example, in 1907, graduate student Cecilia Johnson was accused of trying to pass as white to join a sorority and was outed in the Tribune. Another student, Georgiana Simpson, had her permission to stay in campus dorms revoked by then-University president Harry Pratt Judson due to protests by white, Southern students.
Due to these challenges, Black students at the University of Chicago have often found community outside of the institution. They have sought structured leadership and community in organizations like OBS and ACSA, which provide them with a political voice to confront the might of the university. Additionally, mentorship within the Black community at the university plays a crucial role in helping current students succeed, with knowledge and support passed down from unconventional spaces to collectively support each other.
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Black students at UChicago have described feeling hyperaware of their race
The University of Chicago has a history of enrolling Black students, with 45 African American students granted PhDs between 1870 and 1940—more than any other institution in the nation. Nine African Americans earned undergraduate degrees, and five earned graduate degrees in the first decade of the 20th century. However, Black students at UChicago have described feeling isolated and hyperaware of their race.
One student, Michael Dawson, shared his experience as a Black scholar at UChicago in the latter half of the 20th century, describing the nearly all-white campus as challenging to adjust to. He felt isolated and faced dangerous situations due to the hostile and fearful atmosphere towards Black students during that era.
The sentiment among some white students is that the University is progressive and enlightened, devoid of any prejudices. This perception stems from the notion that racism on campus is not as explicit as in other institutions, implying a sense of non-existence. However, Black students at UChicago have shared contrasting experiences. They describe dealing with a "whole host of contradictions," including racism from professors and peers, who doubt their intelligence and make derogatory remarks.
Black students at UChicago have described feeling like their actions and words are under constant scrutiny, representing Black people everywhere. They also express the pressure to excel academically to feel deserving of their place at the University. This sense of isolation and the need to prove oneself is further exacerbated by the perception that the University values diversity in appearance more than genuine integration.
Despite these challenges, Black students at UChicago have formed a tight-knit community, supporting each other and creating spaces like the Georgiana Rose Organization (GRO) to focus on the well-being of Black women. They have also established groups such as the Organization of Black Students (OBS) and the African and Caribbean Student Association (ACSA) to foster a sense of belonging and connection.
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The university's Black alumni include many post-Reconstruction era intellectuals
The University of Chicago has a history of being a hub for Black intellectuals. From its founding, the university was unique among the nation's top universities in its willingness to allow students of colour and women to pursue advanced studies. Between 1870 and 1940, 45 African American students were granted PhDs, more than at any other institution in the nation. In the first decade of the 20th century alone, nine African Americans earned undergraduate degrees, while five more earned graduate degrees.
Carter G. Woodson, often called the "Father of African American History", spearheaded the creation of Negro History Week in 1926, the precursor to Black History Month. Katherine Dunham, who attained a Bachelor of Philosophy from the University in 1936, founded the Katherine Dunham Dance Company, the nation's first major black dance company. Benjamin Mays was a distinguished scholar and educator who played a significant role in the Civil Rights Movement. He was also a mentor to Martin Luther King Jr.
In the last years of the 20th century, a new wave of faculty luminaries kept the tradition alive, including E. Franklin Frazier, John Hope Franklin, William Julius Wilson, and Barack Obama.
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UChicago's Black students have experienced racist policing and profiling on campus
The University of Chicago has a history of allowing Black students to enrol since its founding, unlike other universities at the time. Between 1870 and 1940, 45 African American students were granted PhDs, more than at any other institution in the nation. In the first decade of the 20th century alone, nine African Americans earned undergraduate degrees, while five more earned graduate degrees.
Despite this, Black students at the University of Chicago have experienced racist policing and profiling on campus. The university controls one of the largest private police departments in the United States, which has been accused of engaging in racist policing and profiling on and around the campus. This has further strained the relationship between the South Side community and the university.
The university has also been criticised for its insistence on freedom of expression, which some believe enables hate speech. In 2021, a graduate student was murdered in an armed robbery, sparking calls for increased police presence on and around campus. This incident highlighted the racial and socioeconomic bubble that separates the university from the rest of the South Side community.
Black students at the University of Chicago have historically faced challenges in terms of social integration. For example, a Black student, Cecilia Johnson, was falsely accused of attempting to pass as white to join a sorority and was temporarily forced to leave the university. Another student, Georgiana Simpson, had her permission to stay in campus dorms revoked by the university president after protests by white, Southern students.
The experiences of Black students at the University of Chicago reflect the broader historical context of racial inequality and resistance in the United States. The strength of the Black community at the university has been through resilience and reliance on each other, with mentorship within the Black community playing a crucial role in helping current students succeed.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the University of Chicago has allowed Black students since its founding in 1890. It was unique among the nation's top universities in its willingness to allow students of colour and women to pursue advanced studies.
The University of Chicago has been described as a predominantly white institution, and Black students have reported feeling isolated and hyperaware of their race. There is also a history of racism and social exclusion on campus, with Black students being excluded from social life and facing accusations of trying to "pass as white".
Yes, the University of Chicago has a number of notable Black alumni, including:
- Monroe Nathan Work
- Carter G. Woodson
- Benjamin Mays
- Katherine Dunham
- Vivian Harsh
- Barack Obama
- W. E. B. Du Bois
- Charles Henry Turner
The University of Chicago's Black students have found community and mentorship within organisations like OBS and ACSA, which provide a political voice to confront the University. The University of Chicago Association of Black Alumni (UCABA) also aims to cultivate a stronger relationship between Black students of the past and present. However, the University has been criticised for its color blindness and enabling hate speech under the guise of free speech.
