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Queens makes decision to integrate
Queens College Board of Trustees makes the decision to integrate Queens and drops the traditional policy of excluding “negroes” in December, 1962. Listen to interview with alumni, Sue Ross '61 about Queens prior to integration: https://queensuniv-my.sharepoint.com/:v:/g/personal/schindlerj_queens_edu/EbHERsQPHW9MtxndvB6DaFUBDNT3-i1Lgx9jWTS3T8CBeg?e=KklxIH -
Bernice Poole Fulson, first Black student arrives on campus
Mrs. Fulson was a post traditional nursing student.
(https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54773100/the-charlotte-observer) Listen to the interview with her family here: https://queensuniv-my.sharepoint.com/:v:/g/personal/schindlerj_queens_edu/EZB9HkAYewNAmT7N-5I8XTwBrPQ9pHGagRCH_V8cQRRbCQ?e=ZHt9zG -
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Stories from Early Integration at Queens
Black students at Queens faced different challenges as they integrated into Queens. Two students discuss their friend, Jo-Ann Jones, an early Black student, who eventually left due to her experience at Queens. https://queensuniv-my.sharepoint.com/:v:/g/personal/schindlerj_queens_edu/EbgvQXNvavhDlbRsNhft0QkBI3ziMnm0IF9s_AJfjZCcqA?e=ztcqlf -
Miss Betty starts tenure at Queens as House Mother
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Pinkie Smith, Black student becomes first treasurer
Pinkie smith becomes a senior class officer, treasurer secretary not certain that this is the first black student in this position but yearbook pictures before this time do not show black students in these positions. -
Vi Lyles (now Mayor) graduates from Queens University
Mayor Vi Lyles graduates from Queens university, she states she was one of six black students and could not live in the dorms with white students. Also recognized as first student that Miss Betty remembers as her first Black student (entered 1969), raises questions about number of Black students since Bernice Fulson. -
Marie Reedie Floyd, an accomplished chemist, teacher, and humanitarian graduates from Queens
Marie Reedie Floyd graduated with a B.S. in chemistry. “After graduating, Reedie taught chemistry and English in Cameroon, helping to build a chemistry lab for a local school. Upon returning stateside, she served as a chemist, water quality manager, and environmental lab consultant in Georgia.” (Queens Alumni Facebook) -
First Official BSU was formed
First official Black Student Union “purpose is to bridge black and white relations on campus. Unify all black as a part of Queens College and all its activities” (Queen's yearbook 1978), there was some attempt at a BSU in 1973 as shown by 1973 yearbook. -
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Elisher Ferrell Beck,'87 and Lynne P. Meadows, '87 attempt first AKA Chapter on Queens
Alumni Beck and Meadows attempt to start the first Alpha Kappa Alpha chapter at Queens. They did not receive support from the administration, but did join at another university, making them the first members at Queens. Listen here: https://queensuniv-my.sharepoint.com/:u:/g/personal/schindlerj_queens_edu/EQGJCfJEklxPm5lIuW3NYbIBX6Wkcs4bQgvrJyZWvKbTTw?e=NYSvLD https://queensuniv-my.sharepoint.com/:u:/g/personal/schindlerj_queens_edu/EU4qSioYKVBOlkZESRhkOTsBUeJWOwHRqJcpReyMQYMHJg?e=sBobqf -
Queens becomes fully co-ed, allowing men to live on campus
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Social Justice organization formed on campus
Organization against social injustice and suffering was started by a new professor of sociology Richard Ridel, over 70 students showed up for the first meeting -
Marcus Sims, first Black male student to graduate from Queens' Biology Department
Marcus Sims was the first black man to graduate from Queens’ biology department, after Queens became coeducational in 1987 (Queens Chronicle, 2010) -
African American students attempt to establish chapters for Black students at Queens
two African-American female students attempted to establish chapters for black sororities at Queens: Delta Sigma Theta & Gamma Phi Delta, but Gamma Phi Delta shut down by Residence Life & Housing (reason was that students had been trying to establish Delta Sigma Theta for over a year, unlike Gamma Phi which had just been introduced) --> Queens Chronicle, March 2004 -
Iman Deberry, Black female freshman VP candidate finds racial slurs written all over campaign posters
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Student Organization - STRONG (Standing Together Reviving Our New Generation) is formed to advocate for students - LeAnna Rice one of the founding members
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Multicultural Affairs formed, along with first director named, Bernardo Dargan
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Alpha Kappa Alpha, First Historically Black, National Pan-hellenic Council Sorority Formed
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Multicultural Affairs transitions to the Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement (D.I.C.E.) - Darryl White, alumni, named first Assistant Dean of D.I.C.E.
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Justice League Student organization formed as a way to have conversations with students about police brutality
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Protests in front of Trexler Hall in response to murder of Keith Lamont Scott
From Queens Magazine Winter 2017 -
Vi Lyles, Former Queens student becomes Mayor of Charlotte
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Dan Lugo becomes president and becomes Queens' first president of color
https://www.queens.edu/21st-president/news/180114-president-elect-daniel-lugo.html
https://www.queens.edu/news/2019/191018-inauguration-ceremony.html Listen to President Lugo's Story here: https://queensuniv-my.sharepoint.com/:v:/g/personal/schindlerj_queens_edu/EXvYHq9xUilOjFdKOt4B3psBIhLfXdjFDrlpkPDG3jBKzw?e=6lIWEc -
History Taskforce formed to investigate the university's affiliation with slavery
Co-chaired by Assistant Dean of DICE, Darryl White and Provost Sarah Fatherly, included multi-disciplinary team, including the Library, Student Life, Faculty, and Alumni https://queensuniv-my.sharepoint.com/:u:/g/personal/schindlerj_queens_edu/EbbnFVT9gVREhjCKs3vKKd4B1GchEARyE9jLF2yXPpIXDw?e=SAEN64 -
Queens becomes part of the Charlotte Racial Justice Consortium - begins formal exploration of racial history
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Diversity announced as one of five strategic pillars at Queens by President Lugo
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Burwell Hall named changed to Queens Hall due to slavery affiliation
