Cyril E. Griffith and Merle U. Fox, Letters Regarding PSU Black Studies Program Exhibition (April-May 1977)

Full text: Cyril E. Griffith, “Letter to Merle U. Fox” (April 12 1977)

Full text: Merle U. Fox, “Letter to Cyril E. Griffith” (April 14 1977)

Full text: Cyril E. Griffith, “Letter to Merle U. Fox” (May 16 1977)

About this Artifact

In 1977, the Penn State Black Studies Program launched its first Exhibit on the Black Experience. In April of that year, then program director Dr. Cyril E. Griffith mailed an invitation to participate in the event to a representative from each of Penn State’s branch campuses. The representative for the Dubois campus was librarian Merle U. Fox, who responded to Griffith’s invitation by saying that “an exhibit was not put up” because the Dubois campus had “no black students” enrolled at the time. In May, Griffith followed up with Fox by sending him a letter expressing his concern that Penn State Dubois has not understood the intention of the Exhibit. He explained that “the Black Studies Program is not for black students only,” and ended his letter by assuring Fox that the Dubois campus had not participated because it had been unaware of the “scope” of the Exhibit and saying that he “knew” the Dubois campus would participate in coming years.¹

The 1960s and 1970s saw a rise in nationwide demand for racial and ethnic studies programs.² It is unsurprising that Fox was unaware of the benefits that a Black Studies Program could have on not just black students, but white students as well. Such programs were so highly coveted by students and faculty because they presented an opportunity to eliminate the many racially based stereotypes, myths, and other falsities used to justify inequalities and exclusion of minority groups.³

Penn State was far from a school without inequality and exclusion. In the year 1967, the Black Power Movement arrived at Penn State, holding blacks-only meetings to discuss how to combat race issues.⁴ Two years after the Griffith-Fox letter exchange, a blatantly racist ad was posted in The Daily Collegian asking for a “white house mistress” and a “colored nanny.”⁵

These letters are important because although they are concise and do not seek to inspire some profound revolution, Griffith is standing up for his program and the students it represents in a way that is civil and professional. Activism is frequently seen as requiring people to hold signs and scream slogans. It is not often viewed as something that can occur in a workplace with a typewriter, but by sending a well worded letter that (1) explained the value of the Black Studies Program’s Exhibit and (2) politely corrected Fox’s assumption that a program centered around racial studies would only be beneficial for black students, Griffith is engaging in a type of activism that is very powerful, though potentially unexpected.

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