Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (1965): Photographic vertical files, Portraits (01212), box 140
Dr. King's address came less than two months after he formally accepted the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to end racial segregation and discrimination through nonviolent means. His topic to the crowd of 8,000 that midwinter evening was "the future of integration," and his intent was to rally public support for ending segregation.
Penn State University has hosted many notable Black speakers over the decades. In some cases, their words were recorded and preserved in the University Archives. Resources about visiting speakers will continue to be added to the list below.
Cassius Clay (Muhammed Ali)(1969): Photographic vertical files, portraits (01212), box 51
Black Arts Festival programs (1979, 1991) : Black students (African American students) general vertical files, Arts Festival (00389)
From 1969 until 1991, members of the Penn State Black Student Union organized a Black Arts Festival. The purpose of the festival was to educate whites about Black culture and to strengthen the pride and unity of Black students. In their words, "A spectrum of what is our America." The film "It's Our Thing" was featured at the 1969 Black Arts Festival.
The University Archives Photographic collections contains many images from past Black Arts Festivals:
Black history month event schedules (1991, 1993) : Black students (African American students) general vertical files, Paul Robeson Cultural Center (00389)
brochures: the Paul Robeson Cultural Center (1986, 1989): Black students (African American students) general vertical files (00389)
The Paul Robeson Cultural Center
The Paul Robeson Cultural Center (PRCC) grew out of the student movements of the late 1960s and early 1970s, which demanded more services and representation for Black students at Penn State. A committee led by Edward V. Ellis, Associate Professor of Public Health and Associate Dean for continuing education in the College of Human Development, formally proposed the creation of a Black Cultural Center in April 1971. President John W. Oswald approved the proposal on May 11, 1971, with an operational budget of $51,900 and a new home in the Walnut Building. Assistant track coach Warren B. Coleman served as the interim director from 1972 to early 1973.
The Center's first Director was James L. Carter, who was hired in January 1971 and abruptly dismissed in March after expressing concerns about the level of administrative support for the center. Elmore M. Browne served as director from 1973 to 1982. During this period, the Center's cultural programs flourished with visiting speakers, performances, art installations, and conferences. The Black Arts Fest, which began in 1969, became one of the center's signature events, and continued annually until at least 1992. A traveling exhibition called The Black Experience, ran from 1977 to 1985. In 1977, the center launched its own academic journal, Minority Voices, An Interdisciplinary Journal of Literature and the Arts, which ceased publication in 1991.
Browne was succeeded in 1983 by Lawrence Young. Under Young's leadership the center would officially change its name to the Paul Robeson Cultural Center with a rededication ceremony on September 8, 1984. Young also led the center's move out of the Walnut Building and into a newly renovated wing of the Hetzel Union Building. After nearly a decade of planning, the PRCC moved into the HUB-Robeson Center in 1999, where its facilities include a library/lounge for students, a conference room, an auditorium, and offices for student organizations. Under the leadership of subsequent directors, including Toby S. Jenkins (2005-2009), Tony Keith (interim 2009-2010) and Carlos Wiley (2010-2022), it has continued to provide programs and a welcoming space for many multicultural communities at Penn State. In April 2023, the PRCC celebrated its 50th anniversary with a gala at the Bryce Jordan Center. Evan Williams was appointed director of the Paul Robeson Cultural Center in June 2023.
The center's namesake, Paul Robeson (1898-1976), was a classically trained singer, actor, and activist who spent his life championing the lived experiences of African Americans, advocating for equality on and off the stage.
black-and-white photograph: Black students (African American students) photographic vertical files (01190)