A History
by Michael Steiner
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Year 2 (9/69–5/70), Part 1 The second year began with the continuation of the way things ended. Jack and Ben beginning their second and last years in power. The Afro-American Organization's 18 proposals were partially dealt with; specifically the one calling for a Black Newspaper that would be run by Black students. The arrangement that had been arrived at the end of the prior year called for a separate insert in the UH News that would be called Together and edited by Angelo Lewis. Together ran articles both dealing with national and local black issues; from the trials and mistreatment of the Panthers , coverage of Panther Programs for youth such as the Breakfast Program. Also there were articles covering the schools and problems of the North End of Hartford and programs run for youth and all citizens; and plans were made for special pilot schools in the North End and on-campus facilities for Black High School Students as well. The issues of Vietnam and black enlistees,special articles covering Ho Chi Minh as well. There was a special Poetry section as well as essays and articles covering UH issues. Finally the coverage of Wilbur Smith's campaign for Mayor of Hartford. Other proposals dealt with began to be formulated both by Together as well as Jack and Ben ; working with the School Administration to arrange for new dorms to be named for black mean and women in history such as Malcolm X and Martin Luther King.
The next target of Jack was the Fraternities on Campus. The third issue of the paper had a front page with a person “mooning” on the cover wearing a Fraternity shirt....It was titled “Fraternity Issue”. Jack proceeded with a blistering attack on Fraternities; their Pledging Practices, their overall behavior on campus including their rushes – getting pledges dangerously drunk. The most inflammatory statement of all was the allegation that the Fraternity Leadership was using funds raised to line their own pockets. Of course; this was vigorously denied by the IFC(Inter Fraternity Council) which filed a complaint with the Student Association' s Communications Committee against the paper. The Committee Chairman Bill Clement proposed that Jack be suspended for at least one issue as a “cooling off” effort to placate the Fraternities. The issue went for a final decision to the Student Senate – and Ben – as President with skill and bravado convinced the Senate to vote down unanimously the proposal to suspend Jack...But there was a price to pay... What ensued were on-campus meetings, where Jack tried to defend himself; but even some who had stood by him in the past thought he had gone too far. Nevertheless, it was a combination of Ben's skills and Jack's public retraction that eventually made this all “go away” In spite of all this- it can be said that in spite of Jack's error in judgement- he got in his best shots at the Fraternities – while Jack managed to save face.
[ UH NEWS Liberated Press | A History ] Presentation created and maintained by Hank Mishkoff
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