Student Activism at Washington College

With our location on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, it is easy to think of Washington College as a sleepy little liberal arts college content to prepare its students for the world beyond academia as the Chester River lazily ripples by.

Teaching our students to be citizen leaders means speaking out when something is wrong or when a change in the status quo needs to be made and we should recognize this.  All academic institutions, no matter how liberal they may be, can be slow to adapt to our rapidly changing world, but they usually get there in the end. It is the activism of students that pushes the administration forward but not without challenges.

In the past, student protests were simpler, asking for co-ed dances or not having to wear coats and ties in the dining hall, but by the time of the Civil Rights Movement students had become more socially aware. We can see this through their support of the Freedom Riders during their visit to Chestertown. When you read only the headline of this Elm article about the event the paper seems upset at the protestors, but if you read the article itself you see a calm well-articulated account of the visit with interviews with some of the organizers. Why is there such a difference in tone? The headline was put in by the College over the original title.  Another good reason to always read past the headline. 

See the Freedom Riders marching on the Chesapeake Heartland digital archive.

This does not mean that the administration is always adversarial to the demands of the students. Washington College had only been integrated for a few years but, already students were demanding more diverse speakers and action to help African American students feel like a part of the College community. We can see here in President Gibson’s notes on the list of concerns put forth by the Afro-American Student Association- now the Black Student Union- that the college took their concerns seriously.

With growing opposition to the conflicts in Vietnam and Cambodia, and along with the tragic events at Kent State, colleges and universities across the county were bracing themselves for student protests. This memorandum shows how the WC administration could work on de-escalating potential violence. During this time, Political Science Professor Tai Sung An engaged with students about their concerns by inviting speakers to talk with the students about the war, including actor and activist Paul Newman.

 

 

                                                                                         In the 80s and 90s, with the growing AIDS crisis and calls for equal rights for the LGBTQ+ community, students at Washington College used education and inclusion to bring about change and awareness. Students and faculty engaged with events like HIV & Me: World AIDS Day at the Lit House with class of 1986 Alum and Sophie Kerr Prize winner Doug Rose and members of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance at WC. Students created clubs like EROS (Encouraging Respect of Sexuality) to connect with the college community. The student body has continued to strive to meet the challenges of an evolving society and create a space where all are welcome to learn and grow.

Here in the archives, we want to let you know that your words will last and the change you made will be recognized.