In 1967, civil rights activists and lawyer Floyd McKissick came to speak to Black students on campus. He urged Black students to start an organization that would unify and promote Black awareness. In 1969, BSA was started in the basement of Robert Green’s home. The first president was Dr. Richard Thomas. BSA changed it’s name to the Office of Black Affairs (OBA) and then to BSA.

One of the major issues that BSA addressed was the ill treatment of employees in Wilson Hall. In 1969, five Wilson Hall employees were harasses and fired. The female employees were called names such as, “Salad girls.” BSA held a sit-in in Wilson Hall’s cafeteria until they were hired again. Wilson Hall was found guilty based on discrimination.

Early 1900’s
Black students are admitted to MSU. 1907 Myrtle Craig Mowbray became the first Black student to graduate from MSU.

1930’s-1950
Blacks were banned from the dorms. Most of the housing apartments in the East Lansing area refused to rent to Blacks. In the late fifties, the Lansing Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) helped a group of MSU students start an MSU/East Lansing chapter. The MSU NAACP organized many churches that focused on equalizing housing on campus and its surrounding areas.

1950’s-1966
Blacks students began organizing campus wide. Many speakers including Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. came to promote activism.

1967-1969
A Black cheerleading squad was established because of the racism Blacks endured during MSU cheerleading tryouts. BSA held its first protest in 1969 because of the racism in Wilson Hall.

1971
The first Black student newspaper, The Grapevine Journal was established. Many Black students went to the Administration building requesting their State News tax fee. They then used the money to fund the Grapevine.

1989
A sit-in took place at the Administration Building and lasted for eight days. The students created 20 demands that addressed issues such as recruiting more Black faculty and staff, racism on campus, retention rates among African Americans, and implementing multicultural affairs in every department. Darius Peyton served as the spokesperson.

1993-94
AT&T produced a racist advertisement, which displayed people from all across the world. For Africa they used a monkey instead of a human. To address this issue, there were many rallies and protests.

1999-2000
The Multicultural Center opened January 1999. The original conception included a Black Culture Center. It was later expanded to include more diversity. It serves as a space for students of color to address academic and cultural issues and to hold gatherings and discussions. The Multicultural Center is located in the basement of the Union.

Two boycotts were initiated by BSA on Meijers and the State News. Meijers was boycotted because of racial profiling and the State News was boycotted because of misrepresentation.