Dr. Jesse Parks and protestors outside of Administration Building (May 14, 1969)
Description:
This photograph shows Dr. Jesse Parks, a faculty member at Springfield College, leading a group of Black student protesters out of the Administration Building. Dr. Parks is in the center holding a megaphone in his right hand. In this image, he is looking off to his left. The students occupied the building for 12 hours to protest the prejudices suffered by the Black community and the lack of response to their demands. The three men behind Parks are John Woodruff (left of him), Nolan Thaxton (left of Woodruff), and Robert McCarthy (right of Parks), with Woodruff and McCarthy both giving the closed-fist “Black Power Salute.” John Dover and Shirley Enoch, respectively, are right of MaCarthy’s head and directly above him. Other SC students formed a cordon for the protesters to cross the campus; in the line (second from the right, wearing glasses) is Jay Griffin. A similar image was published on May 15, 1969, in the Springfield Daily news. The event took place on May 14, 1969. Stamped on back is, "Stephen N. Lemanis"; Legacy Alumni of Color idenfication on June 8th, 2021: Dr. Jesse Parks (center w/ bullhorn) leads SC Black student activists out of the Administration Building. To Parks's left is John Woodruff. To Woodruff's left is Nolan Thaxton. According to Richard Griffin, Thaxton was the first employee hired to recruit Black students; however, he was unable to obtain a full-time position. Thaxton was a Phys. Ed major and went on to get his PhD and work at Bronx Community College. To Parks's right (wearing a dashiki) is Robert (Bob) McCarthy, one of the student protesters. In the rear (coming down the steps of the Administration Building) is John Dover (to the right of McCarthy's head) and Shirley Enoch (directly above McCarthy). In the crowd lined up to greet the student protesters is Jay Griffin (second from the right, wearing glasses) along with other members of the community who came to support the students.;
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