Black History at the University of Idaho

In 1971, the Black Student Union (BSU) of the University of Idaho became the first Black student organization of its kind. The purpose of this group was to advocate the importance of Black culture, and combat racism and ignorance by creating a center for cultural interaction. The cultural center of the BSU would serve as a meeting place to discuss organization activities and management, academic assistance, financial aid assistance, and much more.

The first location of the Black Student Union (BSU) cultural center was a building known as the old College Master's house. Located at 706 Deakin Avenue, it was situated right across from the Student Union Building. The organization began with six determined students: Malcolm Smith, Adrian Prince, Jesse Craig, Jay Wheeler, Loren Dantzler, and Robert Lee Williams.

[Founding member 1/6] The first president of the BSU was Malcolm Smith. Smith came to the University of Idaho as a junior transfer from Chicago, Illinois. He played for the UI football team as a running back, and wore number 43.

[Founding member 2/6] Adrian Prince, also known as Adrian "The Prince" came from Saginaw, Michigan to the university in 1967. Recruited for basketball, Prince played for the university as number 25. Not only did he participate in sports, he took part in BSU activities like the 1972 U of I Black Cultural Week. Here he spoke with fellow BSU members about the Black student experience.

[Founding member 3/6] Jesse Craig was recruited by the university primarily for football. In his early career unfortunately, he sustained a broken foot in a game against Idaho State. In Craig's senior year, he received the Outstanding Senior Award (1972).

[Founding member 4/6] Jay Wheeler was an outspoken member of the BSU. He majored in Radio-TV, and participated in basketball and track. Wheeler wrote multiple editorial pieces for the university newspaper, the Argonaut, which highlighted Black culture and obstacles that Black students faced. He additionally had a feature on KUOI (UI's radio program) called "Total Black Experience", as well as poetry readings on KUID's Channel 12.

[Founding member 5/6] Loren Dantzler came to the University of Idaho in 1970 as a junior transfer from San Diego. He played baseball for the university and also participated in UI's Black Cultural week events created by the BSU. He acted as a disc jockey for the record hop entertainment portion during the celebration.

[Founding member 6/6] Robert Lee Williams was recruited to the university football team as a running back and receiver. As a founding member of the BSU, he participated in activities held by the organization including open houses and cultural week events.

This photo of inside the BSU came from an article in the Argonaut. The building featured a meeting room, office area, kitchen, living room, and two bathrooms. Upstairs was a two bedroom apartment where Fred Riley, BSU co-chairman, and Adrian Prince, BSU treasurer, lived. Open houses were often hosted here on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and all were welcome.

In response to the previous Argonaut article, R. A. Hughes from the College of Law sent a letter to President Hartung. Hughes was of the opinion that the University of Idaho should not provide funding to the organization. He believed it to be "contrary to the ideals of democracy for a state to institutionalize separate facilities to accommodate a minority group based on race".

President Hartung's response to R. A. Hughes clearly explained the BSU was not in fact supported by funds appropriated from the university. Instead the BSU is a student group which was appropriately organized under the Student Bill of Rights. Here Hartung also explains the contractual agreement between the BSU and the university.

One of the ways in which the BSU promoted their activities and invited student involvement was through the campus newspaper, the Argonaut. This was a resource continually used throughout the early years of the organization. In this paper members advertised items such as open houses, cultural awareness activities, fundraisers, and even orientation programs for Black students. Open houses at the BSU were a staple, and their purpose was simple: allow people to relate to each other.

Then in 1973, a freezing winter took its toll on BSU's cultural center. After frozen pipes did considerable damage to the BSU house, it closed indefinitely. Instead of making plans to renovate, the university chose to demolish the building and others along Deakin Avenue.

The BSU eventually found a semi-permanent meeting place in the Canterbury House, Episcopal Student Center. This center housed various community groups, and served as the meeting place for the BSU until 1975 when their cultural center was yet again to be demolished.

This is an official memorandum about the BSU temporary housing at the Canterbury House.

In 1975, the BSU yet again found itself on the brink of homelessness. In a letter from Thomas E. Richardson to BSU members regarding the Canterbury House demolition, he explains the building was to be taken down to expand the area then known as the People's Park.

After the BSU was removed from their space in the Canterbury House, the organization went through some changes. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the organization rebranded as the Black and African Student Association (BASA). Then throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, the group became Recognizing African-American Concerns and Education (RAACE).

In 2005, Sherwin James, a graduate student, announced that the organization would return to its roots as the Black Student Union. After RAACE had been inactive for at least a year, he believed a change was needed.

Since the loss of their original Black cultural space in 1973, the BSU has had various meeting spaces on campus. Most often meetings would take place in the ISUB, but it was never a permanent place. Then in 2020, an initiative to have a permanent location for a Black Cultural Center was taken and the group applied for a physical space in the ISUB. The BSU also applied for a director of the organization to help the union alive as members graduated. Both applications were approved, allowing a permanent home and director for the BSU.

The BSU moved into their new space in 2021 and hired a new director in 2022. This gathering place has provided students an avenue for positive social connection, open discussion, and a sense of community.

On January 13, 2022, Mario Pile began his first day as the first ever Director of the University of Idaho's Black Cultural Center, marking the beginning of a new era for the Black Student Union and Cultural Center 50 years after its inception.