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History Of The 1968 San Francisco State College Strikes

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The 1960s saw a wave of labor strikes in various industries across the United States. One of the most significant strikes was the 1968 San Francisco State College Strike, which lasted for five months and was a pivotal moment in the history of the Civil Rights Movement and the fight for educational equity. This essay will explore the background and events of the strike and its impact on higher education and civil rights. The San Francisco State College Strike began as a response to the lack of diversity and inclusion in higher education. The college, now known as San Francisco State University, had a predominantly white faculty and student body, with very few Black and other minority students. This was a common issue in many universities across the country at the time, as the Civil Rights Movement had highlighted the systemic racism and discrimination in education. In …show more content…

This sparked a protest, with students occupying the administration building and demanding that the BSU's demands be met. The police were called in to remove the protesters, and several students were arrested. The following semester, in January 1968, the BSU issued a set of 15 demands, including the creation of a Black Studies department, the hiring of more Black faculty, the admission of more Black students, and the establishment of a community center for Black students. The administration responded with a proposal to create a "School of Ethnic Studies," but the BSU rejected this as inadequate. On November 6, 1968, the strike officially began when a coalition of student groups, including the BSU, Asian American Political Alliance (AAPA), and Mexican American Student Confederation (MASC), called for a strike to demand the implementation of the 15 demands. The strike was supported by many faculty members, community organizations, and political

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