In 1969, Seattle Community College (SCC) faced boycotts, demonstrations, and rioting in protest of disparities in funding and academic focus between the College's central campus, located near the city's Black residential area, and the north and south campuses, located in predominantly white neighborhoods. Out of $33 million in capital funds for the three campuses, the central campus, located on Capitol Hill near the Central Area, was slated to receive only $2 million, and "the most menial of vocational offerings." The protests also objected to the lack of African American representation on the Board of Trustees of the college.
On May 22, protestors marched on three SCC facilities: the Edison South building, Summit building and the administration building at 1718 Broadway. The next day there were additional protests and confrontations with police, culminating in brick throwing and tear-gas. The students demanded that a white trustee resign and an African American be appointed to the Board of Trustees. On May 27, trustee Carl Dakan resigned, and on July 24, Governor Dan Evans appointed African American Marvin E. Glass to the SCC Board of Trustees.
In this image, A. Frank Williams, SCC student, Black Student Union chairman, and Navy veteran, stands on the steps of SCC's Edison South Building, speaking to a crowd of protesters while Seattle police guard the building.
Caption information source: The Seattle Times, May 23, 1969, page 8 Caption information source: "Governor Dan Evans appoints Marvin Glass to Seattle Community College Board of Trustees on July 24, 1969," by David Wilma, HistoryLink.org Essay 2036 Caption information source: http://depts.washington.edu/civilr/BSU_intro.htm Caption information also derived from captions written by Post-Intelligencer staff and attached to the back of the photograph.
