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 includes archives staff interviews with former administrators and Project 500 alumni at the Project 500 fiftieth anniversary events, September 28-29, 2018. It also contains audio recorded in 1968 by Assistant Dean David Eisenman concerning the Project 500 program and student occupation of the Illini Union held on September 10, 1968.
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.
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.
Laouida 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.
Raynard Hall had always knew he wanted to go to college, despite his dad having different ideas for him. He only learned about Project 500 after arriving at Illinois in August 1968. It didn't take long for him to get involved with student activism on campus, although he describes the Sep. 10, 1968 incident at the Union in passive terms: as a "Wait-In" opposed to something more purposeful like a "Sit-In." He remembers having a lot of fun during his time as student, which he attributes to the networking opportunities that being a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity opened up for him. Listen to hear the one piece of advice he feels is applicable to incoming freshmen and outgoing seniors alike.
