Repression at Hampton University
Posted By: BRENDA ROSS on December 02, 2005 her sources) > >CORPORATE PLANTATION >Political Repression and the Hampton Model >by John Robinson and Brandon King > >On Wednesday November 2, 2005 at Hampton University, the progressive >campus group affiliated with Amnesty International, United Students >Against Sweatshops, and Campus Anti-War Network held a student walk- >out on the issues of New Orleans urban renewal, **** crisis, >homophobia, the prison industrial complex, the war in Iraq, and the >crisis in ****. The organizers for the group had been planning the >action for sometime, and promoted it with radio announcements, posters >around the campus, and handing out fliers at campus group meetings. >The planned activities included speeches, chants, poetry, and musical >performances. Earlier that day an international student was subjected >to intense interrogation by the Dean of Women and was told by the >Hampton University police that she would be shadowed by a cop. At >twelve noon Brandon King began to speak to about 75-100 students in >the Student Center about our plans for the day. We handed out >information on the Iraq war and the Katrina disaster. Then armed HU >police abruptly shut down our activities. > >The HU police booked several people just because they were wearing >stickers and other paraphernalia that advertised our events. They >booked people who weren't even wearing paraphernalia because they >looked suspicious. The police used hand-held camcorders to record the >faces of the activists without our permission. They attempted to >intimidate the student onlookers by their random targeting. Three of >us were singled out as leaders by the Dean of Men and HU police, who >temporarily confiscated our students ID cards. The next day, one >leader of our group, Brandon King, was told by a Hampton University >Lieutenant Detective that, despite the fact that he was a "hometown >athlete," he would be expelled if he did not cooperate and give up the >names of other group members. > >Now Brandon, three sophomore activists, a junior activist, a non- >affiliated supporter and myself have all been summoned to an >administrative hearing for violating the code of student conduct >by "actions to cajole or proselytize students", "distributing and/or >posting unauthorized information", and "violating the administrative >guidelines for student demonstrations". The students were given notice >at 5:00 p.m. Friday, November 18 to appear at an administrative >hearing at 10:00 a.m. Monday, November 21. This short notice obviously >made it virtually impossible for the students to organize support from >lawyers, parents, witnesses, other students, and sympathetic >organizations both on campus and in the wider community. Nevertheless, >the administration received many calls and e-mails and agreed on >Monday morning to postpone the hearings indefinitely. Upon returning >to school from thanksgiving break on Monday November 28, the students >learned that the hearings had been rescheduled for Friday, December 2. > >Shortly before the break, students met with local reporters in a >nearby shopping center owned by the administration. As the students >described to the reporters the repressive conditions they face at >Hampton University, a Hampton University cop sent by the Dean of >Students confirmed the students' allegations. He pulled his squad car >to within inches of the camera man and cut short the interview by >stepping in between the camera man and the student interviewee. After >the reporters put their camera away inside their car, the police still >demanded that they leave the property. The video footage of these >events was shown on the nightly news. The story also appeared the next >day as the cover story in the local newspaper, The Daily Press. The >Dean of Students, in turn, wrote a letter to the editor of the Daily >Press responding that the school encourages peaceful protest, and the >kids who face discipline refused to use the legitimate routes. This >letter was mass copied and two copies were placed on every dorm door >on campus. > If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
Comments
More From This Author
Latest News
![]() |
Jury Finds Derek Chauvin Guilty on All Three Charges For Murdering George FloydAfter a 16 day trial and 10 hours of deliberation, a jury found ex-police officer Derek Chauvin guilty on all charges.
According to CNN, Chauvin now faces up to 40 years in prison for second-degre ...more
Kennedy Williams • 71 Views • April 20th, 2021 |
![]() |
Single Mom Paulla McCarthy Becomes 1st Black Woman in New York to Own a Spring Water Bottling PlantWhat started out as a road trip to taste the water in Poestenkill, New York led Paulla McCarthy to become the first African American woman in New York State to own and operate a water bottling company ...more
Kennedy Williams • 157 Views • April 20th, 2021 |
![]() |
PVAMU Becomes First HBCU To Host A Special Olympics Texas EventDozens of the best young athletes from Southeast Texas headed to Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) on April 16 to take part in the University’s inaugural Texas Special Olympics (SOTX) track and fiel ...more
Kennedy Williams • 62 Views • April 20th, 2021 |
![]() |
President Obama Teams Up With Shaq and Charles Barkley to Encourage Black People to Get VaccinatedIt's no secret that there has been a clear push in the media to encourage Black folks to get vaccinated. While many have been open and have received the vaccine, there is still a large number of Black ...more
Kennedy Williams • 41 Views • April 20th, 2021 |
![]() |
Alcorn State University Inaugurates Dr. Felecia M. Nave As Its First Female President!Congratulations are in order for Dr. Felecia M. Nave who just became Alcorn State University's first female president! This HBCU grad was officially inaugurated last week and is ready to lead Alcorn S ...more
Kennedy Williams • 119 Views • April 20th, 2021 |
Popular News