Project 500 was the first extensive effort by the University of Illinois to offer equal educational opportunities for all of the residents of Illinois. The details of the project were poorly carried out, and miscommunication led to a protest at the Illini Union on September 10, 1968 which resulted in the arrest of 240 black students. This collection consists of both audio recorded by Assistant Dean David Eisenman during the years of Project 500 and recordings of oral interviews with students and administrators involved in the program conducted by Joy Ann Williamson.
Connie Penda-Eggelston was born in Chicago in 1948 to well-known musicians. Her older brother, a Project 500 Recruiter, convinced her to come back to the Illinois in 1968 after she withdrew from the University from her first term starting in 1966. She was a member of BSA and participated in the September 10, 1968 Union Demonstration. Participating in cultural programs and actively engaging with Champaign black youth were how she spent her time as a student.
Audio recorded by David Eisenman, Assistant Dean of Students from 1968 to 1970, during the years of Project 500. It includes his assessments of the implementation of Project 500 as well as the resulting conflicts, and touches on his first-hand accounts of the protests by African American students against their placement in sub-standard housing in the first weeks of the program.
Jeffrey Roberts was the only black student in the journalism program when he came to the University of Illinois in the fall of 1968. The passion for writing he brought with him to Illinois stemmed from high school experiences as a bat boy for the Chicago White Sox. In this interview, he recalls his varied experiences as a young black man at Illinois in the 60s and 70s, including: his dating life, his involvement with Project 500 and the Black Student Association, and his "Black Vibrations" column with the Daily Illini.
Karl Huff earned his Bachelor's degree in Music Education in 1972 from the Department of Fine and Applied Arts. In this interview, he recalls his role in the 1968 Union Demonstration: voicing support of black students' concerns while acknowledging that he himself had adequate housing. Huff was active on campus in the Black Student Association, Dorm Councils, and the Student Advisory Council to the Dean.
Laquida Glover was born in Batesville, Mississippi. She was attracted to the University of Illinois through a Project 500 Newspaper flyer promising free tuition for college. Her mother, Thelma Thomas Glover Childress, was active in the Civil Rights Movement. She talks about the influences her upbringing and experiences at the University of Illinois had on her journey to becoming a lawyer.
Leroy McCray is originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. And even though he had a full-ride Track and Field Scholarship offer from Temple, he didn't want to go to college so close to his high school. His "Welcome to Champaign" included an unfriendly roommate, racial harassment, and a militant police response to a mostly peaceful demonstration at the Illini Union. Leroy's fondest memories at the University of Illinois involved becoming a family with his fellow Project 500 and Black Student Association members.
Voice Over Artist Malcolm Rockhold came to U of I in the fall of 1969. He talks about his rough transition to campus culture, but credits Jeffrey Roberts and other Project 500 sophomores for helping him find his way. His interview provides insight on the importance of community and mentoring for black college freshmen at Predominantly White Institutions (PWI) in the historical and social context of a post - Martin Luther King Jr. assassination northern United States.
As a high school senior in Danville, Patricia McKinney-Lewis hadn't originally planned on seeking attendance at the University of Illinois. Participating in American Legion Conferences held annually at Gregory Hall, however, caused her to develop a high opinion of Illinois early on. She viewed it as a highly prestigious institution; maybe too prestigious for her. Project 500 Recruiters convinced her otherwise, and 3 degrees later, she gives back to her Danville community by inspiring students to pursue higher education, investing in scholarships, and reaching back to help the children in any way she can. Patricia's interview includes some unique insights from her participant role in the September 10, 1968 Union Demonstration.
