Asian American Studies

By Robyn Rodriguez

They went back to campus, but they didn’t go to class. Instead, students at San Francisco State went on strike for five months, the longest academic student strike in American higher education history, and shut down their university. Their peaceful protests for the admission of a greater number of minority students, an education that reflected their families’ and ancestors’ histories and experiences, as well as more community control of their education, were met with violent police repression. Yet they stood their ground. led by a multiracial coalition, the Third World Liberation Front, would lead to the establishment of Ethnic Studies, including Asian American Studies, on that campus. Students on college and university campuses across the state of California, inspired by their peers at San Francisco State, followed suit soon after. Years later, students on campuses beyond California would be inspired to do the same. On those campuses where Asian American students were brave enough to stand up to their college and university administrations, Asian American studies programs and departments were formed.

Sourced through Scoop.it from: www.racefiles.com