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.
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.
