Grinnell in the 1960’s

A Time of Activism

The late 1960’s and early 70’s were marked by civil rights, anti-war, and other social justice movements that inspired many people to peacefully fight for change. These movements were largely supported and led by students, so campuses across the country and the world became stages for protests. Notably, students from marginalized communities started to demand better from academic institutions. Academic institutions had largely ignored, or actively contributed to, the racial issues that reinforced marginalization. Even in light of federal changes, there were many academic institutions still practicing segregation. Very few campuses had resources dedicated to supporting the needs of BIPOC students, and even fewer acknowledged or addressed systematic inequalities. Curriculum about Asian, African, Latine or Indigenous cultures, histories, or viewpoints were largely nonexistent at predominately white institutions.

Grinnell in the 1960’s

It should come as no surprise that Grinnell College, with its focus on social justice, felt the currents of the protest movements. The administration supported many of these movements, as shown by the three-day long convocation, “The Liberal Arts College in a World of Change”, in which notable activists like Martin Luther King Jr. received honorary degrees and gave speeches. However, some protests received less college support. For example, in 1969, students staged a “nude-in” to protest the visit of a Playboy Magazine representative and the magazine’s demeaning stance in regard to women. Less than a year later, students took over the ROTC building for several days to protest the US bombing of Cambodia. Grinnell College even closed early in the spring of 1971 after the massacre at Kent State.