Columbia Crisis of 1968 project : oral history, 1968-1995 bulk 1968.

Scope and Contents

In this series of interviews, almost all conducted on the Columbia University campus in May, 1968, participants and observers--student activists (conservative, independent, and radical), junior and senior faculty, administrators, supporting staff, and parents--describe and discuss the many phases of the crisis that resulted in the occupation of five Columbia buildings by students April 23 and 24, the suspension of classes, fruitless negotiations, police intervention on April 30, a campus wide strike, a lesser eruption May 21-22, and the eventual restructuring of the University. Factors behind the crisis are examined and weighed in tones ranging from analytical detachment to passionate concern. A researcher for the Archibald Cox Fact Finding Commission read a small fraction of this material, with the explicit permission of each interviewee. The project was conducted independently by the Oral History Research Office. Participants and pagination of transcripts: Jacques Barzun, 17; Lawrence Berger, 43; Bureau of Applied Social Research Study, 46; John D. Cannon, 86; Thomas S. Colahan, 49; Henry S. Coleman, 46; Columbia Concerned Parents meeting, 73; Cathleen Cook, 45; William Cumming, 58; Herbert A. Deane, 34; William T. de Bary, 29; Jay Facciolo, 59; Mark Flanigan, 95; Robert Fogelson, 44; Joel Frader, 48; Friedman, Robert, 71; James Goldman, 24; James Grossman, 38; Marvin Harris, 50; Richard Hofstadter, 30; Terence Hopkins, 75; International Journalism Students, 41; Jeffry Kaplow, 59; Peter Kenen, 73; Grayson Kirk, 40; Polykarp Kusch, 33; Robert Masters, 47; Seymour Melman, 37; Walter Metzger, 33; Barbara and David Nasaw, 97; Alexander B. Platt, 41; Project planners meeting, 57; Orest Ranum, 49; David Rothman, 68; Frank Safran, 156; Howard Schless, 10; James P. Shenton, 8; Bruce Smith, 74; Lionel Trilling, 78; David B. Truman, 83; Paul Vilardi, 90; Immanuel Wallerstein, 111; and Immanuel Wallerstein, 154.

Subjects

• Civil rights demonstrations.
• College administrators--Interviews.
• Columbia University--Strike.
• Educators--Interviews.
• Interviews.
• Oral histories.
• Students--Interviews.
• Students--Political activity.
• Student strikes--New York (State)--New York.
• Universities and colleges--Administration.