IU in 1968

1968 was a very eventful year at Indiana University, Bloomington. Major issues debated on the IUB campus were similar to what was being discussed on campuses all around the country. These included:

Vietnam War
Activities included demonstrations, articles and debates on whether to get out of Vietnam and when occurred frequently at IUB in 1968. The major event related to the war in 1968 included demonstrations for and against the appearance of Dow Chemical representatives on campus. Dow was the producer of Napalm which was used extensively by the United States in the Vietnam War. The largest anti-war demonstrations at IU occurred in May, 1970 after the killing of students by the National Guard at Kent State University.

Womens' Rights and Student Rights
Many of the protests of the 1960s were directed at rules and regulations on conduct that derived from the century old principle of the university governing students in loco parentis ("in place of the parents"). In 1968 the specific issues were open visitation or the rights of students, but especially women students, to entertain guests of the opposite sex in their rooms throughout the week; elimination of rules mandating when women students must be back in their rooms; and abolition of off-campus housing age requirements.

Civil Rights
In the 1960s, the national civil rights movement was at its height. At IU, African-American students organized the Afro-Afro-American Students Association (AAASA) in the spring of 1968. The first president of AAASA stated its goal was "to cooperate with individuals and organizations dedicated to the eradications of those impediments to human progress," such as racism and segregation. Some of the activities or programs advocated by this organization in 1968 included: hire more black faculty and admit more black students; introduce black studies programs; and abolish the University Committee on Discriminatory Practices, because students had no say regarding its membership.

One of the specific demands of the AAASA was that fraternities and sororities eliminate racially discriminatory membership clauses. To draw attention to this demand black students organized a demonstration to shut-down the Little 500. On May 8, 1968, 50 black students occupied the stadium field where the Little 500 was scheduled to run. After 38 hours at the stadium, the protestors received word that the fraternities had met their demands.

A major event of 1968 involving race relations was the firebombing of the Black Market on December 26, 1968. African-American students and faculty had opened the Black Market in the fall of 1968 to sell books, records, artwork, clothing and jewelry imported from Africa or made by African-Americans. In 1969 two local men confessed to starting the Black Market fire.

Sports

Football
In 1967, IU won the Big Ten Football title with a 9 wins and 1 loss record (6 wins and 1 loss to Big Ten teams). On January 1, 1968, IU played the University of Southern California (USC) in the Rose Bowl. On offense IU was led by quarterback Harry Gonso and tailback Jade Butcher. USC was led by its All-American tailback, O.J. Simpson. In a hard fought, defensive battle, USC defeated IU by a score to 14-3. This is the only time IU has played in a Rose Bowl game.

Swimming
The IU Swimming team continued its dominance in the Big Ten by winning the Big Ten Meet in 1968 and finishing with a record of 10-0. The IU Swimming team won the Big Ten title every year from 1961-1980. In 1968 IU won its first NCAA Swimming Team Championship. IU Swimming went on to win the NCAA Team Championship every year through 1973.

Team Photo, 1967-1968 IU Men's Swim Team

Speakers

1968 witnessed the appearance of many prominent speakers on campus. The most celebrated speech was by Presidential candidate Robert Kennedy on April 24, 1968, an event which was attended by over four thousand students and faculty. Other speakers at IU in 1968 included:

John Barth, author
Julian Bond, leading figure in the Civil Rights Movement
William F. Buckley, author and conservative commentator
Eugene McCarthy, Presidential candidate

Performances

In 1968 a number of prominent performers appeared at the IU Auditorium. These included:

Alvin Ailey Dance Company
Bill Cosby
John Davidson
The Four Tops
Herbie Mann
Simon and Garfunkel
Lou Rawls

Other Prominent IU Events in 1968:

IU President Elvis J. Stahr resigned in 1968. He was replaced by Joseph Sutton as IU's 13th President.

Construction continued on IU's new Assembly Hall, which would become the new home for IU basketball. Assembly Hall opened in 1971.

Resources:

Additional information on IU in 1968 can be found in the University Archives located in Wells Library, E460. Hours: Monday through Thursday, 8-6, Friday, 8-5, and Saturday, 10-2 by appointment. The Archives Website can be found at:http://www.libraries.iub.edu/index.php?pageId=93

An outstanding primary source of information on issues in the 1960s at IU is The Spectator, Bloomington's underground newspaper, which was published during the period from1966-1970. Research copies of The Spectator are available in the University Archives.