BSU in 2060? Revisiting the Black Student Union at University X Through Composite Storytelling

• In Event: "This Is How We Do It": Utilizing Critical Race Methodologies to Center Blackness in Educational Research

Abstract

Fifty years after its founding in 1968, the history of the Black Student Union (BSU) at University X (UX)(pseudonym) remains largely unexplored. Much more is known about April 15, 1971, a day of unrest known as Black Thursday, that led to the occupation of the President’s office, the withdrawal of more than 100 Black students, and the expulsion of many others. While this event is an integral part of the organization’s history, the activism of Black students on UX’s campus is part of an expansive long Black student movement (Kendi, 2012). This paper aims to more adequately document the founding of this impactful student organization while also employing this history to construct a narrative that explores race and racism in the not-so-distant future.

Authors

• Matthew Paul Cowley, University of Florida

• Tianna Dowie-Chin, University of Florida