Timeline of SUNY Geneseo History
Race, Gender, and Politics at Geneseo
December 1957
Geneseo chapter of the American Association of University Women is formed. (Lamron 12/13/57)
March 1958
Geneseo students comment on the 11:00 PM curfew in effect for women on campus on Sunday through
Thursday. (Lamron 3/1/58)
Comparison between Geneseo and other colleges shows that women students follow stricter rules at
Geneseo. (Lamron 3/18/58)
Students comment on the new fashion of shorter hemlines for women’s skirts and dresses. One male comments that any skirt is better than slacks on women, as “it is becoming difficult to distinguish between the sexes.” (Lamron 3/25/58)
April 1958
Students answer a question about whether the college should enroll fewer women to make more room for
men. Everyone who responded said no. (Lamron 4/22/58)
May 1958
Students answer a question about whether married women who don’t really need their jobs should give
them up for men, to cut down on unemployment. Several students say yes, several say no. One male
student replies that all married women should stay in the domestic environment where they belong.
(Lamron 5/20/58)
April 1959
Student comments on Switzerland’s refusing to give women the vote, stating that maybe the Swiss are right. Equal rights mean equal responsibility and equal duty, and yet women don’t have to “protect the country.” (Lamron 4/21/59)
December 1959
Students question the curfews for women on campus. (Lamron 12/8/59)
Geneseo student, Bill Butler, who lived in Africa with a missionary family, comments that Great Britain is
willing to grant independence when they feel "their colony" Kenya is sufficiently prepared for it. His opinion is that Kenya is not ready for self-government. (Lamron 12/15/59)
January 1960
George Bengo, secretary of External Affairs of the People’s Convention Party in Kenya, speaks on campus about “The African Struggle for Freedom.” Asserts that Kenya is ready for freedom now. He answers students’ questions about communism, passive resistance, and the Mau-Mau movement. (Lamron 1/20/60)
March 1960
Geneseo’s Women’s Self-Governing Association (WSGA) travels to the Eastern Regional Convention of Intercollegiate Associated Women Students in Ohio. Conference focuses on women as a compass in foreign affairs, spirituality, morality, education, and campus life. (Lamron 3/22/60)
May 1960
American Association of University Women (AAUW) hold a reception to honor graduating seniors. First vice president of AAUW named. (Lamron 5/17/60)
September 1960
Women’s Self Governing Association (WSGA) introduces changes in women’s curfew rules on campus, including a senior sign-out-sheet and punishments for being out past curfew. (Lamron 9/20/60)
Women’s Athletic Association (WAA) starts an intramural program. (Lamron 9/20/60)
Women students comment on the new rules for campus women. (Lamron 9/27/60)
October 1960
Married female students and wives of students form social organization that will plan evenings out. (Lamron 10/11/60)
November 1960
Suggestion made that all male students be abolished from the Geneseo campus. Mock debate held. Women argued that they don’t want to have to put up with male domination, Geneseo would save money and space, have more “togetherness” among women, scholastic average would go up, and they wouldn’t have to compete for boyfriends. Men argued that they were the most important segment of the college and a vital part of any human endeavor, such as politics and sports, and that most girls come to college to find husbands and those that don’t become old maids. (Lamron 11/22/60)
SUNY Brockport holds a mock slave auction fund raiser. (Lamron 11/22/60)
December 1960
Women students living on campus complain of restrictions on their activities. (Lamron 12/6/60)
February 1961
African-American student, David Thompson, is going to represent Geneseo in Holland for a year. Plans to “clear up misconceptions they might have concerning the extent of prejudices against the US minority groups.” (Lamron 2/28/61)
March 1961
American Association of University Women (AAUW) presents Dr. Julia Delehanty with “Woman of the Year” award. She is a Geneseo graduate of 1921 and the college physician. (Lamron 3/7/61)
Recruitment for the Peace Corps has headline “Help Fight Communism.” (Lamron 3/14/61)
October 1961
Geneseo hosts the Intercollegiate Association of Women Students conference. Speakers include U.S.
Congresswoman Jessica McCullough Weis, who observes that her male colleagues have treated with respect and as an equal. (Lamron 10/24/61)
December 1961
Women’s Athletic Associations from different schools form the Western New York Women’s Intercollegiate Conference. (Lamron 12/12/61)
January 1962
Women’s dress codes on campus come under fire. Women’s Self-Governing Association (WSGA) announces relaxing the rules: girls can now wear slacks in the cafeterias and library on Saturdays and week nights after dinner. (Lamron 1/9/62)
December 1962
Young Socialist Study Group founder Lubin says he is against communist Russia but likes the ideas of socialism, wants to educate Geneseo campus about it. (Lamron 12/11/62)
January 1963
John Birch Society founder, Robert Welch, speaks on campus. Tries to” rid the theory of communist conspiracy from this country.” (Lamron 1/22/63)
February 1963
Debating team debates issues dealing with communism. (Lamron 2/15/63)
April 1963
United Students Party for student government elects Black student, Brenda Dockery, secretary. (Lamron 4/5/63)
Coeducational intramural program for golf and badminton starts. (Lamron 4/5/63)
May 1963
Joseph O. Fadeo, Geneseo student who was here on a UNESCO grant, returns to his home in Nigeria to set up a system of school libraries. (Lamron 5/17/63)
September 1963
Student from Sierra Leone, James Roberts, is attending Geneseo this year. Students will “teach him about America and its culture and traditions.” (Lamron 9/27/63)
October 1963
Geneseo students dress as Indians and “invade” campus. (Lamron 10/11/63 )
Geneseo students discuss interracial marriage at the weekly meeting of the Race Relations Revolution discussion group. (Lamron 10/25/63 )
Geneseo homecoming queen candidates include one Black woman, Barbara Rafael. (Lamron 10/25/63 )
November 1963
Geneseo students discuss sex censorship in the arts. (Lamron 11/1/63 )
Geneseo students discuss “Sex…..Love…..Faith” in a six session seminar, beginning with the subject “Before Marriage---What?” (Lamron 11/1/63 )
Geneseo student Jim Roberts describes his country, Sierra Leone , in the Lamron. (Lamron 11/15/63 )
December 1963
Herbert Aptheker, a member of the Communist party, is prevented from speaking at the SUNY Buffalo campus through a court order. Aptheker was to speak as part of a lecture series on political perspectives from the far right to the far left. (Lamron 11/13/63 )
January 1964
Geneseo hosts Black Like Me author, John Howard Griffin. Standing-room-only. (Lamron 1/17/64 )
February 1964
“Mrs. David Fox” is appointed interim Associate Dean of Students. (Lamron 2/21/64 )
African Symposium presents Dan Mboya of Kenya and James Roberts of Sierra Leone, who give first-hand views of the problems and the future of the African nations. (Lamron 2/28/64 )
Lamron article criticizes fraternal organizations, “something is wrong when an organization becomes more concerned with who it excludes, rather than with who it includes.” (Lamron 2/28/64 )
March 1964
Dr.Lucy Harmon receives Women of the Year Award by the Geneseo branch of the American Association of University Women. Dr. Harmon was Dean of Students until 1950, as well as Professor of English. (Lamron 3/6/64 )
Geneseo hosts Dr. Leslie L. Rubin, director of African Studies at Howard University . Address is titled, “Future of South Africa.” (Lamron 3/6/64 )
May 1964
Women’s Self Governing Association holds the “Younger than Springtime” weekend, with beauty demonstrations and fashion show. (Lamron 5/8/64 )
Miss Fashion Personality of 1964 is chosen by an all-campus vote, judged on “friendliness, good- grooming, interest in others, courtesy, appropriate dress, and cooperation.” (Lamron 5/8/64 )
Geneseo Chamber Singers Spring Concert includes selections from “Porgy and Bess.” (Lamron 5/8/64 )
September 1964
Geneseo male students refuse to leave women’s dormitory at the prescribed time. “Nothing came of the incident” but concerns are voiced. (Lamron 9/25/64 )
“Slaves” auctioned at the Freshman Orientation Dance. “Slaves” (sophomores) are bid on and won by students who will “use” the slave for a day. (Lamron 9/25/64 )
October 1964
Geneseo Professor Scholfield suggests bringing “culturally deprived” students to Geneseo for exposure to culture. Letter to Lamron editor questions this, says that Geneseo students are quite culturally deprived themselves, from middle class homes where the “culture is not challenging.” (Lamron 10/9/64 )
Geneseo hosts a series of exhibits that are meant to increase awareness of Asian cultures and peoples. (Lamron 10/9/64 )
Helen Gahagan Douglas, Congresswoman from California, gives a speech. She toured West Africa, and was President Johnson's personal representative in Monrovia, Liberia. (Faculty Bulletin 10/5/64 )
The Rochester race riots are discussed with two speakers from Rochester. Mrs. Constance Mitchell, Supervisor 3rd Ward, Mrs. Mildred Johnson, Director of "Negro Information" and NAACP branch board member. (Lamron 10/23/1964) (Faculty Bulletin 10/19/64)
November 1964
Over 50 students attend a meeting to organize a Northern Student Movement (NSM) chapter at Geneseo. Officers are elected, including white and black students. Dr. Joseph Lonero from the Sociology Department is the group's advisor. (Lamron 11/6/1964)
NSM members spend 8 weeks going to Rochester ’s 3 rd ward to tutor first graders in phonetic reading. Lamron 11/6/1964)
NSM forms a library committee to investigate the establishment of a library in literature on racial and cultural minorities. (Lamron 11/6/1964)
NSM sponsors lecture given by Samuel Licken, NSM’s national campus director. (Lamron 11/13/64 )
NSM organizes a study group to interest students in civil rights through literature, panel discussions, and speakers. (Lamron 11/20/64 )
Rev. George Hall, assistant professor of Christian Ethics at Rochester Colgate Divinity School speaks on “Who Needs the Negro?” (Lamron 11/20/64 )
Letter to Lamron editor from publicity chairman of Geneseo’s NSM chapter thanking students for their enthusiastic support. States that he feels this is “an indication that the soul-searching campus discussions which have involved both faculty and students this fall have produced concrete results.” (Lamron 11/20/64 )
An All-College Discussion is held. Panel of four faculty and one student discusses the “Middle Class Syndrome,” described as apathy and anti-intellectualism. Laments dress codes and academic deficiencies. (Lamron 11/20/64 )
Women’s Self Governing Association draws up objectives for coming year, including changing the “Miss Geneseo” contest to make it more of a campus activity. (Lamron 11/20/64 )
December 1964
Geneseo joins other colleges in a “Fast for Freedom”; sends money to the deep south to needy Negro families. (Lamron 12/4/64 )
Letter to Lamron editor asks if Geneseo students are aware of the Black Muslims, warns that if we don’t work together to fight “white supremacy,” then militant groups that are preaching “Negro superiority” will gain hold. (Lamron 12/4/64 )
Lamron prints poem by Geneseo student Ysaye Maria Barnwell. The poem, called “Black I am,” states “I ain’t what I wanna be,/ an’ I hate myself ‘cause I know/ what they want me to be./I pick cotton too slow and/integrate too fast/cause/Black I am. ” (Lamron 12/11/1964)
Motion was made during Faculty Senate to put matter of discrimination on cabinet's agenda. The motion was defeated. A recommendation was then made that a council be established to permanently address the discrimination "issue." Community Council on Discrimination was formed. (Faculty Bulletin 12/10/64 )
January 1965
African American author William Kelley is Geneseo’s “Author in Residence.” Teaches two courses at while at Geneseo. (Lamron 1/15/1965)
Lamron article bemoans the lack of unity on Geneseo campus. Discusses campus political involvement at “ Berkley College ” and Harpur College . (Lamron 1/15/65 )
February 1965
Social Science club invites American Nazi, George Lincoln Rockwell, to speak on campus. Standing room only in Wadsworth Auditorium and foyer. Rockwell’s solution to the Negro problem—“send them back to Africa , for that's where they want to be and they will be happier there"—brings negative reaction from audience. (Lamron
2/12/65 )
March 1965
Ysaye Barnwell starred in a play about the love affair between a black women and white male. Described by writer as “superfluous, dull and incredible script, exploiting an already over analyzed racial problem.” Further says that, “The dialogue is dull because this racial theme has been the issue of many previous literary works…” (Lamron 3/5/65)
Article reports that NSM raised $200 toward the NAACP legal defense fund from students, faculty, and townspeople to provide legal defense of MLK and black citizens awaiting trial in Alabama for voter registration charges. Town campaign has been less successful than fund raising on campus. (Lamron 3/19/65)
5 Geneseo students, and faculty Molly and Joe Lonero attended the March on Washington, partially sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Rochester. Students raised most funding themselves, although NSM had weeklong drive, raising $1000, with $460 of this coming from faculty. (Lamron 3/26/65)
Performance of the play "In White America" dramatizes the story of blacks in American history. Includes actual words and stories of slave ship torture, slavery, the Civil War, segregation and the current racial problems. (Lamron 3/26/65)
Film showing of "In White America," a documentary of Negro history in America . (Faculty Bulletin3/29/65)
April 1965
Ulle Papp, one of the students who attended the March on Washington said, “You could feel a complete sense of brotherhood and unity while marching. It was so worthwhile to see in the faces of the Negroes who live in Montgomery a look of incredibility that black and white persons were actually united.” Professor Lonero regretted that he did not have more students on the trip. (Lamron 4/9/65)
Review of “In White America: Theater Makes a Point Painlessly.” From the article: "Few people care to listen to a sermon two and a half hours long. There were many empty seats in a house packed a week before to see, “Little Mary Sunshine”, which was hardly stimulating from any angle....Those who swallowed their misgivings and went to “In White America” as both an intellectual experience and a professional performance were...... surprised to find that theatre is not as dull as a sit in. ...
a performance not to be missed." (Lamron 4/30/65)
September 1965
Saul Alinsky lectures on criminology, labor and community organizing. Alinsky wrote an early biography on John L. Lewis, a freedom rider, and later member of SCLC and SNCC.
(Faculty Bulletin 9/2765)
September 1967
Reception held for international students; John Hayden Ambassador. (Lamron 9/15/67 )
Movie A Time For Burning shown in Methodist Church . Concerns the difficulties encountered when a church attempts to promote an exchange of visits between Negro and white couples. (Lamron 9/15/67 )
Article about discrimination in the armed forces. (Lamron 9/22/67 )
Student Senate, in an almost unanimous vote, moved to give its endorsement to reform New York State ’s abortion laws. (Lamron 9/22/67 )
October 1967
A student-run entertainment series starts with Bert Mason, “Negro singer” from Bitter End Café in NYC. (Lamron 10/6/67 )
November 1967
Campus sponsors a play with an all-black cast, Who’s Got His Own? Playwright Ronald Milner discusses his play, about “troubled Negro youth” with audience and seminars. (Lamron 11/1/67 )
Many students express discontent about the use of student fees for the Artist Series, which brings in all non-white performers. (Lamron 11/10/67)
Floyd McKissick, President of CORE, gives a speech on Black Power in Wadsworth Auditorium. Discusses tokenism, Vietnam , Blacks’ exclusion from textbooks . “I don’t want to be white. I respect your culture. All I want is for yours to respect my culture… I lost my nonviolence.” ( Lamron 11/10/67 )
An all-black cast of Under the Yum Yum Tree performed in Wadsworth Auditorium. Free performance. (Lamron 11/17/67 )
December 1967
Editorial page has article by William F. Buckley condemning Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Sole article not written by Geneseo student, no counterpoint article given. (Lamron 12/8/67 )
January 1968
Alvin Ailey Dance company performs on campus. Modern dance based on Negro spirituals, blues, and jazz. (Lamron 1/26/68 )
Three women on the staff of the Lamron: Kathy Fiore (Layout editor), Sally McKeown (Advertising editor), and Rosalie Lana ZuKaitis (Copy editor). (Lamron 1/26/68 )
Poem titled “Dedicated to Jim: Died, Vietnam Oct. 29, 1967” “As communism clutches/ Other countries into its net…” By Bob Gance. (Lamron 1/26/68 )
Chamber singers to cut album, music includes 20th century folksong featuring Ysaye Barnwell as soloist, one song a hauntingly beautiful arrangement of traditional Negro spiritual Sometimes I feel. (Lamron 1/26/68 )
February 1968
“Inner-city teaching Luncheon, Feb 24.” Students from several parts of the country will … talk to students who have expressed a desire to teach disadvantaged children of the inner city.” (Lamron 2/16/68)
Book review of "How to Stay Out of the Army" by Conrad J. Lynn. Book urges all men who wish to not fight to take it to the courts. (Lamron 2/16/68)
From the article “Graduate Schools Worried that Draft will cut ’60 Enrollment”: “The nation’s graduate schools have been warned that unless draft regulations are changed, their first-year enrollment may be limited to women, veterans, and men who are either physically disabled or over 25. This is catastrophic! " (Lamron 2/16/68)
Letter to the editor from Belinda Rosario, "Soul sister." She wants to know why no Negro bands have been invited to any of the dances at Genese. She says “You try to copy the dances started with the Negroes..... but you do won’t hire the people who made the dance what it is. If you want to hear some sould music you better get together and stop depending on the ‘blue eyed soul brothers’ to play it..” (Lamron 2/16/68)
Response to the letter to the editor about soul music. Extremely defensive, almost angry. He says if she wants a soul band to come to Geneseo then she should go to the people who book entertainment and tell them instead of complaining about it to the wrong people. (Lamron 2/23/68)
Entire page devoted to political cartoons about the Vietnam war – a nuclear weapon walks into the employment office and is declined. Some people are picketing against the draft and bystanders say “what do they want to do – live forever?” (Lamron 2/23/68)
March 1968
Comic and actor Dick Gregory comes to campus. A nonviolent pacifist, a vegetarian, a presidential candidate with a cause, speaking about civil rights and black power.
The writer stated that he did not give a very impressive speech.
(Lamron 3/8/68 )
Program about birth control sponsored by Steuben and Livingston Halls. Speakers from Planned Parenthood and a Senior Resident in Obstetrics and Gynecology at U of R. Fifty women, two men attend. (Lamron 3/8/68 )
Article by Scottie about the possible abolishment of women’s hours by the student senate. He claims that women need these hours to keep them in line. “... parental control was the main regulating force during their high school years. Are these controls to be removed and personal discrimination completely developed over the summer?” (Lamron 3/8/68 )
April 1968
Proposal made to rename the new Student Union for Martin Luther King; 700 students sign petition. Student states he does not support this idea, asking why Mr. King had to die a martyr before the students of Geneseo made any tangible move toward supporting his ideas. “Far better that these 700 should maintain their long-standing apathy than ….. make a mockery of this man’s memory for their own personal conscience-appeasing.” (Lamron 4/26/68 )
Student expresses disappointment with the reaction of some students to MLK’s assassination, writes that some students felt it had nothing to do with them. (Lamron 4/26/68 )
May 1968
Letters in support of and in opposition to the renaming of the Student Union after Dr. Martin Luther King. (Lamron 5/10/68 )
September 1970
Editorial: "Racial Problems – Geneseo?" “This year, when Geneseo State opened its doors…it included…more black students than ever before. And with these students came problems that Geneseo…has never known before......This incident underscores the basic problem at Geneseo – a problem of distrust and fear. Since when are the security police called because there is too much noise on a floor?.....You can watch the black students as they segregate themselves....You can listen to the voices of white students who, like their parents in suburbia, are willing to tolerate the blacks as long as they don’t come too close.” (Lamron 9/25/70)
January 1971
Article: "Black Consensus: Sleep-in was Justified." Lists several instances where Black students were treated differently than white students. Defends the students who protest this treatment, saying ‘If there is no struggle there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom, and yet depreciate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground…This struggle may be a moral one; or it may be a physical one; or it may be both moral and physical, but it must be struggle…power concedes nothing without demand. It never did and it never will.” (Lamron 1/22/71)
February 1971
Article about "Deprived Students" [EOP] -“It is not felt that every student from a deprived background will benefit from a college education.” (Lamron 2/5/71)
Article: "Do you have the Proper Attitude?" Laments the trend of college officials cutting financial aid to students who protest about anything, -“As this practice becomes more popular with college officials, the rolls are being filled with ‘safe niggers’ and ‘safe freaks.’ ‘You don’t have to worry about these kids. All you have to do is take away the cash…and…Goodbye college…Hello, carwash!" (Lamron 2/12/71)
Article: "Waiting for Justice" “Four of the five suspended students have entered a suit against the college in Federal District Court, claiming that they were improperly suspended....The purpose of an injunction would be to allow the students to be in classes NOW while the case is being decided.” Judge has 60 days to decide about injunction; if he takes that long, the semester would be over anyway. (Lamron 2/12/71)
March 1971
Women’s Liberation Teach-in to be held at Geneseo March 6. Three days of “Consciousness-raising groups; participatory discussions of sex roles.” “From birth (and continuously thereafter), women and men are being channeled into utterly degrading sex roles.”Also will include discussion on Gay Liberation. (Lamron 3/5/71)
Article "Sheep of the World Unite!" by Mark Callichia. “We must all work together against a barrage of problems. The movement has become multi-issue, not as an artificial way of building a coalition...... and not because the poor are so desperate for allies that they will settle for a coalition with white liberals and radicals in the peace movement; but because not one of our interests can be resolved without tackling a range of problems. What we have is a movement that is beginning to realize that America has to undergo radical social change if we are to cease terrorizing the world and oppressing our own people.” (Lamron 3/5/71)
Rebuttal to Calicchia article by Barry Schier. [To exploit a specific group of people]: “First, continually repeat that the group is inferior. Second, prevent the past accomplishments from being known. Third, invent a few slur-words to call them...As soon as you succeed in teaching a group that it is inferior, you have managed to produce a cheap labor force…I hope I have shown the economic basis for racism.” (Lamron 3/5/71)
New course offered: Psychology of Racism. “This course is intended to serve the needs of black students, but interested white students may apply.” Instructor is Dr. Donald DeMott. (Lamron 3/19/71)
April 1971
African American student Chuck Daniels runs for student senate, voted chairman.
(Lamron 4/23/71)
Soul Weekend Sponsored/ coordinated by the Afro-American Student Society. Includes Black music, dnace, poetry. (Lamron 4/30/71)
