This collection includes articles and images from the Reflector, Mississippi State University’s student newspaper. This collection ranges from 1965-1975 and represents the first ten years after integration at MSU. The collection includes articles highlighting MSU Black student organizations, efforts to recruit students and faculty of color, MSU’s first Black student athletes, and notable speakers on campus.
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Newspaper Article, Southpaws Charge Discrimination, October 8, 1971
Steve Tonkin
This article is a satirical take on people with left hand dominance. The piece does offer some historical facts about left handedism.
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Newspaper Article, Inside Looking Out: Phares and Dowsing's: Super Athletes, Super Guys, November 12, 1971
David Voss
This article discusses two of the Mississippi State Universities defensive linebackers in MSU Football, Frank Dowsing and Ken Phares, describing them both as "super athletes" and "likeable pair". The article goes on to provide some of their statistics and outline what makes the pair of football players truly special.
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Newspaper Article, Vandy Paper Comments on MSU, Reflector, Reveille, October 12, 1971
Rich White and The Reflector
This article provides commentary on various aspects of Mississippi State University originally published in the Vanderbilt's "Vanderbilt Hustler." The article charges that the Reflector and the Reveille generate discontent among the student body at Mississippi State University and provides examples of those publications' offenses.
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Newspaper Article, Black Viewpoint: "Are You Living in the Past?", October 26, 1971
Louise Wright
This article describes the struggle of a Black student finding acceptance and overcoming the hardships brought on by White racists. He implores his White classmates to see his Race as humans and stop living in the past.
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Newspaper article, Constructive Criticism-Conservatively, March 17, 1970
Don Abston
In this article, Abston made a series of satirical observations on topics ranging from litter to political activism. He criticized litter on the highway between Starkville and Columbus, ridiculed petitions for North Vietnam's adherence to the Geneva Convention, and Black Panther demands for Black men to be exempt from the draft.
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Newspaper letter, Bartlett's Reply, March 39, 1970
Bill Bartlett
In this letter, Bill Bartlett replies top Miss Walton, Mr. Washington, and Mr. Cole regarding the Black History display.
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Newspaper article, Senate Passes Swift Rulings To Facilitate Today's Elections, April 10, 1970
Bill Bogges
In this article, Bogges reported that the Student Association and Vice President approved a new round of elections. McGill claimed that the first election lacked private ballots and clear instructions for poll access.
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Newspaper article, Bond Charges Government Allowing 'Policy of Hate' Bill Boggess, October 9, 1970
Bill Boggess
In this article, Boggess reported highlights from Bond's speech. Bond decried the lack of positive advancement of civil rights and the government's willingness to employ racist policies or tolerate them.
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Newspaper article, Fraternities Sponsor Project For Deaf And Dumb Black Child, November 13, 1970
Bill Boggess
In this article, Boggess reported that the Interfraternity Council sponsored a carpool project for Roosevelt Neely, whose family lacked a car. The IFC brough Neely to speech therapy in Columbus.
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Newspaper article, Group Slams Roberts' Actions, April 24, 1970
Carroll Brumfield
In this article, Brumfield described a political standoff between college students at University of Mississippi and Mississippi State against the Board of Trustees of Institutions of Higher Learning. College students applauded Mississippi State's President Giles for supporting Charles Evers's speech at Mississippi State and called for M.M. Roberts's resignation from the Board for his speaker's ban.
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Newspaper advertisement, Loyalist Charges May Unseat Stennis, Others, November 10, 1970
Hob Bryan
In this article, Bryan reported that Dr. Aaron Henry challenged Stennis's status as a Democrate, along with other Mississippi Democrats. His purpose was to unseat them by noting the differences between the Democratic Party's nominally pro- Civil Rights stance and Mississippi Democrats' segregationist policies.
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Newspaper article, Red Necks, March 6, 1970
George Dan and Zorn Dardin
In this article, Dardin and Zorn rebuked the MSU student body for jeering Black basketball players at the university coliseum.
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Newspaper article, Black Counselor Pictures Role As Mediator For All Students, Mary Dier, September 25, 1970
Mary Dier
In this article, Dier reported that Mississippi State hired James Kilgore as a counselor for its Black students. Kilgore's educational background and career was in administrative posts as historically black colleges and universities.
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Newspaper article, Judge Issues Restraining Order Against Trustees, March 20, 1970
Lowell Hine
In this article, Hine reported on Charles Evers's speech at MSU. The Young Democrats' inivtation was extended last year, but the Mississippi Board of Trustees of Institutions of Higher Learning used a speaker ban to prevent his appearance. A Fifth Circuit Court judge overruled the Trustees' decision and enabled Evers to appear. Evers called for Black and white cooperation to end racism and exercise responsible government.
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Newspaper article, Petition Signers Recommend Rapid Integration Of MSU Staffe, February 13, 1970
Lowell Hine
In this article, Hine reported that Industrial Psychology professor, Gerald Bayley, initiated the petition for faculty integration. Demands for immediate hiring of qualified Black professors indicated petitioners' skepticism that university administration would act. Black sociology graduate student, Rommel Benjamin, supported the effort but expressed skepticism that white students would accept lessons from Black instructors, professors or graduate students.
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Newspaper Article, Board Rejects Gile's Decision To Let Charles Evers Speak Here, March 3, 1970
Lowell Hine and Merrill Merkle
This article covers a campus review committee's decision to reverse a state college board's ruling to block Fayette mayor Charles Evers from speaking on campus. The newspaper examines the board's letter to MSU President Giles. YD spokesman is impressed with the committee's decision. Included is a photograph of former governor Ross Barnett speaking to MSU's KA meeting about the "good life" that used to be.
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Newspaper article, Ed. Service Center Assists Desegregation, March 3, 1970
Carroll Jackson
In this article, Jackson reported on the Mississippi Educational Services Center at MSU. The Center worked to achieve desegregation by working with public school faculty and training them to plan and handle school integration.
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Newspaper article, Little Unrest Seen at Mississippi State, Februarya 17, 1970
Carroll Jackson
In this article, Jackson favorably compared MSU's tranquility to notable cases of campus unrest across the country. Ohio University is cited as experiencing coordinated false fire alarms, bomb threats, and student occupation of a building. Student Senate proposals reaffirmed MSU students' right to peaceful assembly and protest.
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Newspaper Article, Black Pride: Wrung From A Forgotten Heritage, February 13, 1970
Merrill Merkle
In this article, the story of Black history in America is told from arrival on the continent through contemporary events. The history touches on slavery, reconstruction, Jim Crow, Civil Rights, and integration. The article is accompanied by three images.
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Newspaper article, Faculty Council Expresses Confidence In President Giles: Council Approves Of Giles' Decision On Speaker Policy, March 13, 1970
Merrill Merkle
In this article, Merkle reported the faculty's support for Giles's decision to approve Evers's speech.
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Newspaper Article, Board President Assails Giles On Speaker Issue, March 20, 1970
W. F. Minor
This article discusses the tension between the State College Board, MSU President Dr. Giles, and Mr. Roberts over Giles' decision to allow Charles Evers, a prominent Black leader , to speak on MSU campus. Roberts, a self-proclaimed racist, argues against 'the liberal element of the north' and similar ideologies. The article is accompanied by an image of Portnoy's Complaint, a work that the MSU bookstore only sells on special order.
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Newspaper Letter, Bartlett Supported, March 3, 1970
Burless Oyler
In this letter, Burless Oyler supports Bill Bartlett's letter denouncing the Black History displays.
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Newspaper article, Tension Peaks As Tempers Flare, May 5, 1970
Janna Pepper
In this article, Pepper reported a series of incidents in Starkville related to Black citizens efforts to participate in Starkville's civic life. Incidents ranged from a Dairy Queen shooting, highway confrontation, to firebombings.
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Newspaper article, Black Boycott Cripples West Point Merchants, February 6, 1970
John Pickering
In this article, Pickering reported that West Point's Black community ceased doing business with white merchants to pressure them into including Black members in the integration process.
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Newspaper article, Students, Police Clash At Mississippi Valley, February 3, 1970
John Pickering
In this article, Pickering described a clash between campus police at Mississippi Valley State University. Students protested outside President J.H. White's home, calling on him to resign. The student body accused the MVSU president of running the university as a dictator by placing relatives in administrative positions throughout the university.
