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Title on Reel (transcribed from original)
Sunday, May 5, 1968, 11;00am-600pm, Virginia Union Univeristy [sic] Protest March for Elliott Hatcher Arrest for tresp. on VUU Property, VUU to Monroe Park #3
Date Created
1968-05-05
Reel Format
Super 8mm
Reel Description
This reel contains footage filmed in Monroe Park on May 5, 1968, during a protest in support of Elliott Hatcher. Footage of the crowd at the park as well as individuals preparing to speak are featured. This appears to be a group of majority Black participants.
Timestamp Description
00:00:10 Footage begins. Zoomed in footage of the crowd at Monroe Park, likely filmed from the stairs at the Checkers House. A microphone is visible on the foreground on the left side of the frame. Some individuals appear to clap and sing.
00:00:30 Multiple clips of footage panning across the crowd.
00:02:24 Zoomed in footage of several individuals standing in the Checkers House, filmed from within the structure.
00:02:33 Footage of an individual sitting in the grass at Monroe Park, with individuals standing around them visible from the waist down. The camera pans up and left over the crowd.
00:03:07 Footage filmed from the ground of several individuals standing at the top of the stairs of the Checkers House. Some wear black armbands on their left upper arms.
00:03:17 Zoomed in blurry footage of individuals in the crowd at the park. The camera pans left over the crowd.
00:03:29 Footage filmed from the ground of several individuals standing at the top of the stairs of the Checkers House.
00:03:30 Footage ends.
Event Description
On March 30, 1968, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported that a number of students at Virginia Union University (VUU) were boycotting classes as of 11:30AM on March 29th. VUU Vice President Dr. Allix B. James told the paper that university officials would meet with students to address a list of grievances (Richmond Times-Dispatch, March 30, 1968). By Monday, April 1, the numbers of boycotting students had grown, as they awaited an administrative response to their list of 52 grievances. Administration planned to meet with faculty on April 2nd. A memorandum from VUU President Thomas H. Henderson was sent to the student body, and mentioned campus fires and "unrest" which had not previously been reported to the newspaper. Henderson stated that some 15 of the 52 requests had been clarified, and he would refer eight requests to the board of trustees. Student Government Association President Franklin Jones led the student group in the talks (Richmond Times-Dispatch, March 30, 1968). On April 2, an estimated 500 students occupied the campus switchboard and administration building, followed by two science buildings and the student union on April 3. Demands included the "institution of courses in Afro-American history and an end to requirements that [students] take the National Teachers Examination, the Graduate Record Examination, and certain other tests as requisites to graduation...lower prices in the student poolroom and snack shop, improved registration procedures, better campus lighting and changes in the dress regulations for coeds". The paper noted that over half of the university's 1,300 students were involved in the protest (Richmond Times-Dispatch, April 4, 1968). Faculty agreed to meet the primary demands on April 4th, and around midnight that night, some 200 students met to discuss their options. Students blocked roads onto campus, and police reported that students were policing themselves and instituted an 11PM curfew (Richmond Times-Dispatch, April 5, 1968). Talks continued on the 5th and 6th, with City Councilman Henry L. Marsh III joining the talks on his own accord as an unofficial moderator. Marsh was an alumnus of the university (Richmond Times-Dispatch, April 6, 1968). On April 8, Dr. James announced the protest had been dissolved and students would resume classes on April 15. The university regained access to occupied buildings, and a "precautionary" injunction had been obtained to stop further protests. Classes were delayed a week, according to Dr. James, for both Easter holidays and a national period of mourning after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Richmond Times-Dispatch, April 8, 1968). The injunction, obtained at 1AM, was posted on all buildings and nine students were woken up by the Richmond Sheriff and detectives to be served the injunction in their rooms. The injunction named 19 students who were considered "leaders of the revolt", and forbade all students from any further demonstrations or sit-ins until commencement on June 8. It also banned those 19 students from the administration building, student union, library, chapel, and gymnasium without written permission from VUU President Henderson. The order also included "outsiders", with the newspaper naming "Black Power Leader Stokely Carmichael" who was expected to be in Richmond for a court hearing for Jamil Al-Amin (H. Rap Brown) (Richmond Times-Dispatch, April 9, 1968). On Monday, April 8, President Henderson notified parents of students that VUU would be expelling students involved in the protests. Henderson alluded to students being supported by an "underground network" and mentioned the deaths of students in South Carolina, likely a reference to the February 8, 1968 Orangeburg massacre (Wikipedia). Henderson also claimed three fires had been deliberately set in the weeks leading up to the protests (Richmond Times-Dispatch, April 10, 1968). About 30 students were expelled, with about 20 requesting to be reinstated (Richmond Times-Dispatch, April 18, 1968). On April 25, some 250 students held a rally in support of those students, with the board of trustees meeting on the issue on April 26. Students from Bryn Mawr College, Haverford College, and Howard University were also in attendance (Richmond Times-Dispatch, April 26, 1968). The board reinstated 12 students on April 27, and President Henderson stated another 10 had already been readmitted on April 20. Eight students had not been reinstated (Richmond Times-Dispatch, April 28, 1968). On April 29, the eight remaining students had their suspensions lowered from three years to 15 months. Later that day, student Elliott Lee Hatcher was arrested for trespassing on the school property after a school official made a complaint (Richmond Times-Dispatch, April 30, 1968). On May 2, Hatcher was sentenced to three months in jail for the misdemeanor trespassing charge, and appealed (Richmond Times-Dispatch, May 3, 1968). Students planned a protest march and rally over concerns about free speech on campus and Hatcher's arrest and conviction. Four of the expelled students, Hatcher, George Hardy, Arthur Niles, and Jesse Scott, would lead the March. Students from the University of Richmond, Richmond Professional Institute, the College of William and Mary, and University of Virginia were expected to attend (Richmond Times-Dispatch, May 4, 1968). The rally drew a crowd of 600 to 800 individuals in Monroe Park, and then 400 students marched to VUU campus. Hatcher, out on bail, addressed the crowd, stated he was glad the march was peaceful and encouraged students to make change peacefully: "Help to show that students can accomplish goals without problems." Others at the rally called for Black Power and a Black University. A petition circulated asking VUU to drop the charges against Hatcher, allow expelled students sooner readmission, and to lift the injunction which they believed was secured under "dubious" circumstances and was designed to "keep students from exercising their Constitutional rights to freedom of speech and assembly" (Richmond Times-Dispatch, May 6, 1968). On June 5, Hatcher was given a 90-day suspended jail sentence for his trespassing charge Richmond Times-Dispatch, June 6, 1968).
Runtime
00:03:39
Corporate Name Subject
Virginia Union University (Richmond, Va.)
Topical Subject
Historically Black colleges and universities; Student protesters; African American student movements; Student movements; Student strikes; College presidents; College discipline; Universities and colleges--Administration; Police; Police patrol--Surveillance operations; Electronic surveillance; Video surveillance
City/Location
Richmond (Va.)
Genre
color films (visual works)
Local Genre
moving image
Type
Moving Image
Digital Format
video/mp4
Language
eng
Rights Statement URL
Rights
This material is in the public domain in the United States and thus is free of any copyright restriction. Acknowledgement of Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries as a source is requested.
Collection
Richmond Police Department Surveillance Collection
Source
Virginia Union University (VUU) Protest in Support of Elliott Hatcher Film Reel #03, 1968 May 5
File Name
VCU_M571_167.mp4