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Dec. 14, 1968

San Francisco State College suspended classes in response to a strike that began a month earlier. Students, faculty and local activists carried out the strike to call for equal access to higher education, for more senior faculty of color and for a curriculum that would embrace the history and culture of all people. 

The Black Student Union and a coalition of other student groups led the strike. Clashes between the students and San Francisco police tactical squads made national news. The strike lasted five months, longer than any other student strike in higher education history in the U.S. 

As the result of the strike, the college established departments of Black Studies and Ethnic Studies, leading the way for universities across the nation. 

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On this day in 1968

by Jerry Mitchell, Mississippi Today
December 14, 2024

<h1>On this day in 1968</h1> <p class="byline">by Jerry Mitchell, Mississippi Today <br />December 14, 2024</p> <br /> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://cdn.mississippitoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/06130831/OnThisDay-FinalLogo_page-banner-2-1200x151.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-1089732" /></figure> <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dec-14-1968"><mark class="has-inline-color has-primary-color">Dec. 14, 1968</mark></h3> <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://cdn.mississippitoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/06082319/Dec14-John-Cleveland-arrested.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-1107597" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Police arrest Black Student Union member John Cleveland during the student strike that began in 1968 at San Francisco State College.</figcaption></figure> <p>San Francisco State College suspended classes in response to a strike that began a month earlier. Students, faculty and local activists carried out the strike to call for equal access to higher education, for more senior faculty of color and for a curriculum that would embrace the history and culture of all people.&nbsp;</p> <p>The Black Student Union and a coalition of other student groups led the strike. Clashes between the students and San Francisco police tactical squads made national news. The strike lasted five months, longer than any other student strike in higher education history in the U.S. </p> <p>As the result of the strike, the college established departments of Black Studies and Ethnic Studies, leading the way for universities across the nation.&nbsp;</p> <p>This &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://mississippitoday.org/2024/12/14/on-this-day-in-1968-san-francisco-state-college-suspended-classes-over-strike-2/&quot;&gt;article&lt;/a&gt; first appeared on &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://mississippitoday.org&quot;&gt;Mississippi Today&lt;/a&gt; and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.&lt;img src=&quot;https://cdn.mississippitoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/06074517/MT_icon-logo-favicon-1-200x200.png&quot; style=&quot;width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;&quot;&gt;&lt;img id=&quot;republication-tracker-tool-source&quot; src=&quot;https://mississippitoday.org/?republication-pixel=true&amp;post=1128859&amp;amp;ga4=G-VSX4B701MS&quot; style=&quot;width:1px;height:1px;&quot;&gt;&lt;script&gt; PARSELY = { autotrack: false, onload: function() { PARSELY.beacon.trackPageView({ url: &quot;https://mississippitoday.org/2024/12/14/on-this-day-in-1968-san-francisco-state-college-suspended-classes-over-strike-2/&quot;, urlref: window.location.href }); } } &lt;/script&gt; &lt;script id=&quot;parsely-cfg&quot; src=&quot;//cdn.parsely.com/keys/mississippitoday.org/p.js&quot;&gt;&lt;/script&gt;</p> Copy to Clipboard

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