Lecture on Ethnic Studies and Student Activism at UC Berkeley

Introduction

• Emphasis on the importance of ethnic studies: Chicano, Asian-American, Native American, and African American studies.
• Poem highlights resistance and the embodiment of struggle.

Historical Context

• 1969: Original Third World Liberation Front (TWLF) at UC Berkeley fought for the creation of a Third World College.
  • Demands included departments for Asian, Black, and Chicano Studies.
• 1999: Berkeley students organized to save the ethnic studies department.
  • Movement referred back to the 1969 TWLF.

Reasons for Ethnic Studies

• Ethnic studies provide perspectives outside the European viewpoint.
• Education should reflect the histories and realities of people of color in the U.S.

The 1999 Student Strike

• Influenced by global protests and liberation movements.
• Lasted 10 weeks, marked by significant resistance and violence.
  • National Guard involvement and use of tear gas.
• Resulted in the establishment of the Department of Ethnic Studies at UC Berkeley.

Challenges Faced

• Early 1990s: Severe budget cuts amidst an economic recession in California.
• Ethnic studies departments faced scrutiny and criticism.
• Anti-immigrant propositions (e.g., 187, 209, 227) increased the need for ethnic studies.

1999 Student Activism

• April 14th: Students occupied Barrows Hall demanding faculty hiring and department support.
  • Hunger strike initiated as a non-violent protest.
• Demand for ethnic studies linked to broader societal issues: bilingual education, affirmative action, rights of immigrants.

Administration's Response

• Initial refusal to negotiate.
• April 29th: Hunger strike began with students camped outside California Hall.
• May: Mass arrests of protesters during nighttime police raid led to increased support and community involvement.

Negotiations and Outcome

• Chancellor Berdahl: Initially resisted negotiations.
• Pressure from community, faculty, and increased student activism forced negotiations.
• Agreed on faculty hiring and creation of new centers, but amnesty for arrested students not fully addressed.

Reflection and Legacy

• Collective action was key to success.
• Significant gains achieved: additional faculty positions, new Institute for the Study of Race and Gender, Multicultural Student Center.
• Continued need for activism emphasized; struggle seen as ongoing.

Conclusion

• While not all demands were met, the movement marked a significant victory for ethnic studies at UC Berkeley.
• The struggle for ethnic studies is linked to broader social justice issues and requires ongoing commitment.