COLUMBIA
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to black leaders like Rap Brown and Stokely Carmichael?
SALES:
Well, we were greatly heartened by the support that we received
from Rap Brown and Stokely Carmichael so far as publicizing the
real issues involved was concerned. That is, they were able to use their
press appeal to get our press statements into the press when we our–
selves could not get through the blackout. They came to us and
said, "What can we do for you?" They didn't dictate: they were
being of servjce to us, not to themselves - being selfless. I think that
was very important to us.
What was also significant was the support we got from many
politicians in Harlem and many black civil servants. In general, com–
munity support cut across class and ideological lines. We received food
from community organizations such as the West Harlem Community
Organization as well as Harlem CORE. Now there's probably a great
deal of ideological difference between West Harlem and Harlem
CORE. But there was a consensus among all concerned - main–
stream Democratic politicians, Republican bureaucrats and civil ser–
vants, militant activists and just regular community workers - that
these student demands were valid and must
be
supported.
INTERVIEWER:
Do you now feel that you have the Administration's as–
surance that the
gym
will not be built as originally
plann~d?
BROWN:
Our first demand has not been met.
INTERVIEWER:
If
the Administration had given the black students occupy–
ing Hamilton Hall explicit assurance that the gym construction would
be terminated, would they have come out regardless of what groups
in other buildings decided to do?
SALES:
We have four demands. We had a precondition before we
would even consider the question of negotiations - not the question
of leaving but the question of negotiations - and that precondition
was that construction of the gym be stopped and the slate be wiped
clean and that general amnesty be granted to all the demonstrators.
Our precondition was not met, our four demands were not met, and
we were therefore arrested. Our position is still the same.
INTERVIEWER:
What changes, internal and external, would you like to
see Columbia make in its relation to the black community?
SALES:
If
the question of the University's relationship to the Harlem
community is a question of basic attitude, then once those Trustees
and members of the Administration responsible for the University'S
policies in this area have a change of heart and attitude, structural
changes and innovations will follow. I am not an expert in university
administration, or in university expansion. Black students like us did
not plan the University's expansion into Harlem. The very same
people who got the University into this fix can get it out again, once
they see the University in a different relationship to Harlem, a non–
exploitive relationship.
BROWN:
But it's clear that until such time as the University does recog–
nize those explicit demands that we have made, its motives for main–
taining that it wants to deal with the community in a sincere way are
certainly open to question. After all, if it's not willing to stop and
