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Item: Mr. and Mrs. James Arthur Patrick,
2410 Holdrege St. In Lincoln, will celebrate their
60th wedding anniversary on Aug. 25, 1968,
Mr. Patrick has vivid memories of the family
homestead in Nebraska's Hamilton County, near '
Aurora. The family, in fact, still has the original
homestead papers, signed by President Chester
A. Arthur.
Mr. Patrick's father, David Patrick, was
t former slave from Missouri during the Civil
War.
Item: the 9th and 10th Calvary units of the
U.S. Army during the 1880's were entirely black,
except for white officers. The Negro soldiers
were employed during the Indian uprisings of
the period.
The Negro units were station at Fort
Robinson in northwest Nebraska.
Item: Slave auctions were held at Nebraska
City, and in the archives of the Nebraska State
Historical Society can be found the names of
Nebraskans who searched the adjoining Iowa
countryside for "their rightful property."
The point is, at a time when the various
t media of the country are searching historical
'records for references to the role of the black
man in building the United States of America,
evidence that blacks had a role in the building
of Nebraska is abundant.
National television, notably Columbia
Broadcasting System's "Of Black America," and
the American Broadcasting System's "Time for
Americans" has given prime evening time to
the history of the American Negro. Textbooks,
magazine articles, and newspaper stories recall
his role ia the development of sugar refining,
open heart surgery, his allegiance to the country
In time of national crises.
Pioneer Heritage
And for many Nebraskans, whose heritage
Ik steeped in the folklore of the Old West
oi homesteading, cowboys, and cattle drives
the fact that the Negro has played a part
in the history of Nebraska not unlike the white "
pioneer comes as a mud shock.
"Nebraskans are generally sur
prised to hear that the Negro did
not just arrive in Nebraska 25 years
ago, looking for a place to go," said I
Richard Booker, a history teacher
at Union College in Lincoln. "But
the most important effect of this
surge in interest of black history j
comes to the Negro: he learns as T , . ,
much about himself as do whites 1 uesdoy, U.uly
about blacks."
Originally from New Jersey, Booker came
to Lincoln to study history and was graduated
from the University of Nebraska in 1967. He
worked for the Nebraska State Historical Society
for two-and-a-half years, and has become very
much involved in the Nebraska Negro Historical
Society, based in Omaha.
Booker said that the new emphasis on Negro
history accentuates the lack of identity that a
black American has had while trying to find
an equal place in society.
"People need tangible proof that they
belong," he said. "They must feel like they're
part oi the 'in crowd.' Nothing is worse than
a people who feel they don't belong."
And that is what Booker thinks has been
e frustration of the black population during
this century:
"For years he has been a misnomer , .
. an alien. Most everyone would have been happy
if he had just faded away.
"The Negro didn't know about his own
struggles, his own contributions. This new in
terest in Afro-American culture establishes the
fact, to him, that 'I was a part of the western
movement,' 'I was associated with the cattle
movement.' In other words, all of the things
that are a part of the American way of life,
he can say he was a part of, too."
Black parents did not have the information
to tell their children, about the folklore of the
west in the past, as white parents did, he said,-
but gradually this is changing.
Not Slighted
Part of the information is gathered by the
Nebraska State Historical Society. Marvin
Kivett, director of the society, does not think
the Negro has been slighted by the NSHS.
"A close study of our publications reveals
that we have always covered the Negro's role
in the development of the state," he said. "We
have used photographs in many articles to re
emphasize that fie was there.
"The fact of the matter is, that this informa
tion did not register with most people before
now." ,
The NSHS has also had displays in its
museum pertaining to Negro history, and new
displays are being planned. And the state group
was Instrumental in forming the Negro Historical
Society, "to aid in building pride, seeking out
the achievements of the Nebraska Negro," Kivett
said.
Kivett also recalled that, when the Negro
group was being formed, the Historical Society
was accused of discrimination.
"Membership is open to anyone," he ex
plained, "so it is not discriminatory."
Problems
One of the problems involved in preparing
displays on Negro history is the lack of artifacts
available to use in the display cases at the
mueum.
"We are having to rely on photograph to
use," Kivett said, explaining that the displays
will be done in the ethnic style of other groups
(Czechs, Scandinavians, Germans, etc.) which
are featured in the museum. He- note"d a lack
of articles which could be specifically attached
to the Afro-American.
"The truth is," Booker explained, "that what
was brought from Africa was very meager. Most
of the blacks brought only themselves, and often
came naked, There just aren't going to be many
artifacts to account for."
Booker also does not feel that the Nebraska
State Historical Society should be blamed on
any lack of information on early Negro pioneers.
"The blame should be directed to society
at-large," he said. "Many Nebraskans are upset
.vith the current unrest in the Near North Side
in Omaha these past few years, but few want
to talk of the 1919 riot in Omaha during which
the Court House was set on fire and a black
man was hanged for allegedly raping a white
woman,
"Racial unrest now is not just a product of
these years," he continued, "It has been around
for a good many years. Today's unrest is just
a testimony to unwillingness of the country to
solve the problems."
The basic approach cl the media, in instruc
ting the white and black communities in Negro
history, has been to single out black men who
have made some contribution to American life,
no matter how insignificant.
The approach has not met the favor of all
historians.
Dr Robert H. Manley, former NU history
professor and currently head of the history
department at The Hiram Scott College in
Scottsbluff, Is one dissident.
"I can't see taking the role of the Negro
out of white society in America," he said. "I
like to teach that the Negro was a part of
American society, a minority group which of
fered as much as a minority group could offer.
"I feel that a lot of what is being presented
now is woefully artificial," Manley continued.
He was referring to a number of history books
devoted to the Negro.
He thinks some of the points being made
are bordering absurdity:
"It's like saying 'this Negro was the first
en his block to put his shoe on his left foot
first.' "
"Seriously," he continued, "it is a very
touchy situation. There are many problems, and
1 don't know the answer. The Negro has always
faced an identity crisis and I agree with Dick
(Booker) that he must have an image to follow.
I just don't think he should be separated from
white society."
Exaggeration
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ARCHIVES
23, 1968
But many blacks disagree. Bill Cosby, the
actor, narrated the first CBS "Of Black
America" special. After noting that a black man
was with Washington crossing the Delaware, that
the first man shot in the Boston Massacre was
black, that the first doctor to successfully
perform open heart surgery was black, ad in
finitum. Cosby said that the white community
"must let the blacks "exaggerate"
their history now, just as the whites
had exaggerated history to suit
tnem in tne past.
Booker agrees with Cosby :
"I think we need more written
of the social history of the blacks.
Everyone needs to know what they
have done, from the lowest menial
No. 6 J"'5 to the highest achievement,"
Continued on Page 4
New Chemistry Facility Offers
Challenge to State's Industry
When the State of Nebraska
decided to build a workable, effi
cient office building it got a $10
million," debt-free monument to
itself and to the people of
Nebraska.
Now, as the state is erecting its
second most expensive building in
Nebraska history, it is quite possi
ble that the benefits from it will
be as significant as some of the
legislative products which have
come from the Capitol.
The Cliff S. Hamilton Hall of
Chemistry will cost just slightly
less than $8 million when it is
completed in the fall of 1969. Its
approximate size of 200,000 gross
sq. ft., will triple the space that
the NU Department of Chemistry
now occupies in its present head
quarters at Avery Hall on the City
Campus.
With the added space and the
new facilities, including the most
modern research equipment avail
able, the enrollment of the
NUgraduate program in chemistry
should expand by 70 per cent, ac
cording to department officials.
The undergraduate program will
also be enlarged, and the faculty,
will continue to grow.
But the state as a whole will
also get returns on its large capital
investment. Dr. Norman H.
Cromwell, chairmen of the NU
Department of chemistry, explains:
"The Legislature realized that a
venture like this is a gamble," he
said. "To improve the state one
has to spend money to make
money. And we are hopeful that
the addition of this new chemistry
facility will aid in bringing better
economic balance to Nebraska."
New Industry
Cromwell said that expansion of
the chemistry department should
be an attraction for new industry
to the state.
"We fully expect a significant
development in science and tech
nology education in the state," he
said. "Technically orientated in
dustry should find its way to the
area and possibly, Nebraska could
become the home of more govern
ment facilities."
Cromwell noted the trend in in
dustrial expansion in the past. He
said that "first come the great
universities.then industry follows."
He cited the Boston-Cambridge
area in Massachusetts, the Chapel
Hill-Durham area in North Carolina
and the Palo Alto-Berkeley area
in California, as places when vast
amounts of governmental and
private industry research centers
have located where large-university-complexes
are found.
"And there is no reason why it
can't happen in, Nebraska," he
emphasized.
Cromwell added that this location
is not just because of the tech
nological and intellectural envir
onment, but because of people.
"People to man the factories,"
he said. "Industry needs troops,
not just leaders. Even the 'drop
outs' find good jobs because with
one or two years of a college
education they have an edge over
the rest of the population."
Plans Laid
Officials in the Chemistry
department began to lay plans for
the new building in 1963, but con
struction did not begin until the
summer of 1967. The re-enforced
concrete framework is expected to
be finished within a month.
The building was financed partly
by a federal grant of $2.6 million
from the Office of Education,
Health, Education and Welfare
Department. A "Department of
Excellence ' Award" was given to
the University of Nebraska by the
National Science Foundation total
ing $830,000. Cromwell said that the
grant was given to establish "a
center of excellence in chemistry,
to provide additional staff, im
proving the faculty-student ratio,
and to fill in the gaps in our ability
to teach and direct research in
some areas of chemistry."
He said that the department has
Figures
Surpass
Estimate
With an expected enrollment of
2,500-2,700 students for the second
summer session, the total student
population of the University of
Nebrasa will exceed 9,500.
Dr. Frank E. Sorenson, director
of NU's summer session, said that
7114 students attended the first
session which was completed last
week, representing a new school
record.
"We had over 2,700 worksheets
filled out during registration," he
said, "but we can expect some
cancellations to bring the total
down."
Breakdown of the first session
enrollment reveals a two-to-one
ratio of men to women: 4,310 men
(62 per cent) and 2,804 women (38
per cent).
Last year's post-session, "which
followed an eight week session, had
only 276 students.
"Some people ask if this is just
an end or a beginning," Sorenson
said. "I predict that enrollment of
the first half of the 1969 session
will increase by 1,000, while the .
second ' half increases by a
minimum of 1,500 students."
He said that by then the
university can offer a completely
air-conditioned campus since most
of the buildings now under con
struction will be finished and older
buildings on the City Campus will
be temperature cintrolled.
"By then there should be peace
and quiet and it will be cool
it should be the greatest summer
for the university," Sorenson con
cluded. ' . 1 -
already acquired some much
needed equipment with money from
. the grant. Most, however, will be
used for Hamilton Hall.
Dr. Henry E. Baumgarten, pro
fessor of chemistry, worked on a
department committee which
assisted the architects in the design
of the building.
"The building has been designed
to be an adaptable building, enabl
ing it to keep up with trends in
the chemical world," he said.
Baumgarten feels that the most
important aspect of the building
is the opportunity that NU now has
in offering the very latest in
chemical education, and therefore
being of service to the entire state.
There is also evidence that the
new building will put NU's depart
ment at the forefront in national
chemical education, Cromwell
feels, said, "as shown by our ability
to attract outstanding young people
to our staff."
Morale Factor
The' building is also a great
morale factor in keeping the
present staff from drifting to other
departments, he said, because of
the promise for a new building,
which is rapidly taking shape. It
will be eight stories high, with a
penthouse (containing room for
special research on for some
utility -housing) on the roof
But Cromwell and Baumgarten
both agree that since the state has
taken the initial steps in setting
up a top-flight chemisty depart
ment at the University, it is still
responsible for any future benefits
to be derived from the department.
"It should be stressed that this
expanded facility with require
larger amounts of large and small
equipment," . Cromwell said.
"Audio-visual aids and expanded
library facilities are in urgent need.
We hope to obtain funds from
outside sources, but we will always
need help from the budget com
mittees in the future."
"Our job wil2 be determined by
the state," Baumgarten concluded,
"by its cooperation in providing
funds to run a modern facility." '
But the $8 million already
designated for Hamilton Hall is
taking shape: giant cranes are lif
ting pre-formed slaps of concrete,
to the sides of the T-shaped frame
work, and the building is beginning
to take a shape of its own.
In a year, the laboratories will
be filled; the -classrooms will be
utilized; and a new era of chemical
education in Nebraska will begin.
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The architects' drawing of the Cliff S. Hamilton Hall of Chemistry
Lincoln Campus Is Training Center
For OEO Migrant Worker Program
Fifty Mexican-Americans, rang
ing in age from 17 to 22, and all
from migrant worker backgrounds,
will arrive on the University of
Nebraska campus on Aug. 1, to
have another chance at education.
These students will take part in
an Office of Economic Opportunity
program designed to train
"especially talented youngsters
who show - leadership ability and
potential" who can become leaders
in their own communities, ac
cording to Gale Muller, head of
the NU training center.
One of 13 centers in the nation,
the Nebraska branch is operated
through the Nebraska Human
Resource Research Center, located
in Love Library. It is being financ
ed by an OEO grant.
Inside You Will Find:
SUMMER OPERA: Some 35 NU students are in their final weeks
of rehearsal for Puccini's "La Boheme" Page 2
REHABILITATION: The State's educational program for the
physically-handicapped offers-many results .Page 3
FASHION TIME: NU Home-Ec students visit Paris and the city's
most famous designing houses Page 4
"This is not a remedial program
in any sense, Muller said, ex
plaining that the students are,
generally, high school drop-outs
who have shown the capacity to
finish their secondary education
and continue on to college, voca
tional training or business school.
Muller explained the plight of the
migrant worker and why the
government ' thought it was
necessary to aid them:
"Most . of the migrant worker
population lives in poor housing,
ranging from old buses to,
dilapitated shacks. The growing
season . of the type of products
which are harvested by the migrant
worker is relatively short.
Therefore, the money he makes
must last a whole year. Many have
large families, so the money does
not last long.
"Now, automation is taking its
toll with these people. Machines are
now being developed (many are in
use) to take away the jobs of these
people. The effects are already
showing up, so somehow they had
to be helped." -
The program on the Nebraska
campus is part of HEP the
government acronym for High
School Equivalency Program. A
staff of five, including three
teachers and two social advisers,
will care for the 50 students at
NU. All will be Housed in
universitiy dormitories.
Two members of the staff were
brought by the OEO to Nebraska
for the program.
Betty Everett came from the
College of Liberal Arts in Chichasa,
Okla., and Alma Vasquez from
Texas Women's University in Den
ton, Tex.
Miss Vaquex had worked with
OEO last summer, noting that
"something was being done (to help
the migrant worker) and I wanted
to continue to be a part of it."
"Usually these programs are
always for the youngsters," Miss
Everett said; "and I am glad that
finally work is being done with the
older child."
Other members of the staff in
clude Muller, Larry Johnson, and
Ken Rethmeier, all of the regular
NU staff.
Many of the students brought to
Lincoln will come from Nebraska,
particularly the Bayard-Scottsbluff
areas, Muller said. But some will
come from Kansas, Oklahoma and
Texas. ,
Muller said that a prospective
student is "recruited", by com
munity action groups in his locality.
An application from NU is sent
to him upon recommendation by
the community group.
Continued on Page 4
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