UGA Student Support for Suspending Rioters

UGA Student Support for Suspending Rioters

A newspaper article addressing UGA students approval to back the administration on suspending the students participating in the riot.

On January 14, 1961, following a riot orchestrated by students to show the disapproval of some students regarding integration efforts at The University of Georgia, the decision to suspend such students was made. The decision for the suspension was backed by more than three hundred and fifty students, faculty and staff members. Discipline for said students was encouraged so that it would demonstrate the University’s values to integrate the campus and make Hamilton Holmes and Charalayne Hunter, the first two UGA African American admitted students, feel safe and welcomed. Even though these efforts were late in contrast to other organizations on campus and plead from the community, it was the first time the student general body came together to demolish such horrid actions towards the two students. Also, professors wanted a curfew set in place for the campus while everything got resolved, as well as, the canceling of extracurricular activities and other activities that warrant a big crowd of students at one time. An online article of a student attending UGA at this time,Thomas Brahana, remembered signing the document to enforce these rules. “Believing this, we, the undersigned, insist that the two suspended students be returned to their classes and that all measures necessary to the protection of students and faculty and the preservation of orderly education be taken by appropriate state authorities.”, was the quote that ended the document sent out to officials to stamp the true concerns and purpose for supporting the integration efforts at The University of Georgia at the time.

Gordon Roberts

“The Integration of the University of Georgia: A Personal Account .” Department of Mathematics, The University of Georgia , www.math.uga.edu/integration-uga.

Journal Constitution Newspaper and University Archives, Hargrett Rare Books and Manuscript Library, University of Georgia

1961, January 14

The Integration of the University of Georgia: A Personal Account Online Article

Text

English

Newspaper Article

United States, Georgia, Athens Clarke County, Athens

“Believing this, we, the undersigned, insist that the two suspended students be returned to their classes and that all measures necessary to the protection of students and faculty and the preservation of orderly education be taken by appropriate state authorities.”

Newspaper Article