Savanna Hoffman
In April 1968, Columbia University students protested against the university's association with the Vietnam War and its plans to build a segregated gymnasium in nearby Morningside Park. The protests began with the occupation of Hamilton Hall, home to Columbia's administrative offices, by nearly 1,000 protesters. The university's dean was taken hostage, and the campus was put on lockdown. The protests resulted in a violent clash between students and the New York City Police Department, with over 700 students arrested and more than 100 injured. The university ultimately terminated its contract with the Institute for Defense Analyses and scrapped plans for the controversial gym.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year | 1968 |
| University | Columbia University, New York City |
| Protesters | Students, including members of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and Student Afro-American Society (SAS) |
| Issues | University's links to Vietnam War, racial injustice, segregation, university expansion |
| Action | Occupation of campus buildings, protests, walkouts |
| Outcome | University disaffiliated from IDA, scrapped plans for segregated gym, students arrested and/or injured |
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What You'll Learn
Columbia University's affiliation with the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA)
In 1968, Columbia University students protested the university's affiliation with the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA), a weapons research think tank affiliated with the United States Department of Defense. The discovery of documents detailing this affiliation sparked an anti-war campaign by Columbia SDS activists, who demanded that the university resign its membership in the IDA.
The IDA was established in 1955 as a civilian, nonprofit research institute operating under the auspices of a university consortium, which initially included Caltech, Case Western Reserve, MIT, Stanford, and Tulane. By 1964, the consortium had expanded to twelve universities, including Columbia. The IDA's mission was to address national security issues and assist the Department of Defense in addressing the nation's most challenging security problems.
Columbia University's affiliation with the IDA was particularly controversial because it linked the university to the United States' involvement in the Vietnam War. Students, especially those from the Student Afro Society (SAS) and the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), were angry about the university's support for the war effort and its complicity in racist practices in the nearby Harlem community.
The protests at Columbia University in 1968 were part of a series of global student demonstrations and represented a convergence of anti-war and anti-racist sentiments. The university's plans to build a segregated gymnasium in Morningside Park, which activists viewed as circumventing anti-segregation laws, further fueled the anger of the students and the Harlem community.
The 1968 protests resulted in the occupation of university buildings, including Hamilton Hall, and the violent removal of protesters by the New York City Police Department. The protests achieved two of their stated goals: Columbia University disaffiliated from the IDA and scrapped the plans for the controversial gymnasium.
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Racism and segregation on campus
In 1968, Columbia University students protested against the university's plans for a segregated gymnasium in nearby Morningside Park. The students believed that the university was attempting to circumvent anti-segregation laws. The proposed gymnasium was mockingly nicknamed "Gym Crow" by its detractors.
The protests were led by the Student Afro-American Society (SAS), who felt responsible for representing the complaints of African Americans in Harlem. They were joined by the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), an anti-war group that opposed Columbia's institutional affiliation with the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA), a weapons research think tank.
The first protest occurred in March 1968, eight days before the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. On April 23, 1968, students from both groups occupied Hamilton Hall, home to Columbia's administrative offices and classrooms. That night, African American students asked white students to leave and seize other buildings so they could keep a separate protest.
Tensions arose between the two groups as they had differing goals. The SDS wanted to take an administrator hostage to draw attention to their anti-war efforts, while the SAS wanted to focus on stopping the construction of the gym. The SAS's concerns extended beyond the gym, as they also fought against discrimination and the constant checking of their identifications, which was not the case for white students.
The protests resulted in the occupation of multiple university buildings and the eventual violent removal of protesters by the New York City Police Department. Over 700 protesters were arrested, and more than 100 were injured. The university ultimately terminated its contract with the IDA and scrapped plans for the controversial gym.
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The university's plans for a segregated gym
In 1968, Columbia University students protested the university's plans for a segregated gymnasium in nearby Morningside Park. The proposed gym was mockingly referred to as "Gym Crow" by its detractors, and it became a symbol of the unrest and the broader struggle between the university and the community.
The protests were led by the Student Afro-American Society (SAS) and the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), an anti-war group. The SAS, representing the complaints of African Americans in Harlem, wanted to stop the construction of the gym, which they believed would circumvent anti-segregation laws. The SDS wanted to end the university's affiliation with the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA), a research group that supported the Vietnam War.
The first protest occurred in March 1968, eight days before the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. On April 23, 1968, the two groups began a nonviolent occupation of campus buildings, including Hamilton Hall, which housed administrative offices and classrooms. That night, African American students asked white students to leave and seize other buildings so they could keep a separate protest focused on the gym construction.
The protests resulted in the occupation of several university buildings and the eventual violent removal of protesters by the New York City Police Department. Over 700 students were arrested, and more than 100 were injured. The university ultimately decided to scrap the plans for the segregated gym, opting instead to build a subterranean physical fitness center under the north end of campus.
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The university's expansion policies
Columbia University's expansion policies were a significant point of contention during the 1968 protests. The university's plans to construct a gymnasium in nearby Morningside Park were met with fierce resistance from students and community members.
The proposed gymnasium was seen as a racially segregated space, with activists arguing that its construction circumvented anti-segregation laws. This issue was particularly salient for Black students, who felt responsible for representing the complaints of African Americans in Harlem, where Columbia University was located. The university's expansion into Harlem was also criticised, with students alleging that Columbia was stealing land and resources from the predominantly Black community.
The protests brought to light the long-standing discriminatory practices experienced by Black students and residents in the area. Since 1958, Columbia University had evicted more than seven thousand Harlem residents from its properties, the majority of whom were African American or Puerto Rican. Black students also faced discrimination on campus, with reports of constant identification checks and discouragement from enrolling in challenging courses.
The protests against the gymnasium and the university's expansion policies were part of a broader coalition between the Students' Afro-American Society (SAS) and the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), an anti-war group. The SAS and SDS united to oppose Columbia University's association with the Vietnam War and its institutional support for segregation.
The protests ultimately achieved two significant goals: Columbia University terminated its contract with the Institute for Defense Analyses and scrapped the plans for the controversial gymnasium. Instead, the university constructed a subterranean physical fitness centre under the north end of the campus.
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The detention of college administrators
In April 1968, Columbia University students protested against the university's association with the Vietnam War and its plans to build a segregated gymnasium in nearby Morningside Park. The protests resulted in the occupation of university buildings, including Hamilton Hall, home to Columbia's administrative offices.
During the occupation of Hamilton Hall, students from the Student Afro-American Society (SAS) and the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) disagreed over their demands. The SDS wanted to take an administrator hostage to draw attention to their anti-war work, while the SAS wanted to focus on stopping the construction of the gym.
College administrators William Kahn, Dan Carlinsky, and Coleman were detained as hostages in Coleman's office. Furniture was placed to prevent them from leaving, but Coleman was provided with food and released after 24 hours. The New York Times reported that Coleman showed no signs of being affected by the experience.
The protests resulted in a violent clash between students and the New York City Police Department, with over 700 students arrested and more than 100 injured. The university ultimately terminated its contract with the Institute for Defense Analyses and scrapped plans for the controversial gym.
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Frequently asked questions
Students protested Columbia University's institutional affiliation with the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA), a weapons research think tank.
The IDA worked with the Department of Defense, supporting the United States' involvement in the Vietnam War.
The "Gym Crow" was a nickname given to Columbia University's plans for a segregated gymnasium in nearby Morningside Park.
The protests resulted in the student occupation of many university buildings, starting with Hamilton Hall, and the eventual violent removal of protesters by the New York City Police Department. Columbia University terminated its contract with the IDA and scrapped plans for the segregated gym.
Yes, students also protested Columbia University's expansion policies, which included the eviction of thousands of Harlem residents from Columbia-controlled properties.
