On November 1-3, 1967, UNCG hosted a Black Power Forum, organized to “inform students and faculty members of this movement and its actions and to give us a chance to discuss Black Power, its history, its political and social implications for us and the nation. This catalyzed African American students at UNCG to begin discussing the need for a formally-recognized student organization to represent their needs and issues.
As Marie Darr Scott (class of 1970) noted in her 2011 oral history interview, “this Black Power Forum was just—I mean, it just opened up a whole new thought and mind for the black students at UNCG … Not everyone got involved but almost all of the black students were interested in forming a black student organization on campus.”
At the start of the 1968-1969 academic year, students officially petitioned for and received permission from the University for the Neo-Black Society (NBS). The NBS stated three major goals of the organization: “1) to help in voter registration drives, 2) to work with the Greensboro United Tutorial Service (a community group aimed at connecting college students with community educational efforts), and 3) to try to help establish an Afro-American history course on this campus.” During 1969-1970, NBS’s first full year of recognition and funding from the Student Government Association, the Neo-Black Society focused on holding numerous black cultural events/programs and sponsoring speakers/artists on the UNCG campus. For example, they sponsored the annual Black Arts Forum, featuring performances by “The Believers” (a “musical-drama group”) and the Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre, and an African American student art exhibit in Elliott Hall (now the EUC) featuring schools throughout the Piedmont region. It was this same year when Black History Week was expanded to Black History Month nationally.
In mid-February 1970, Neo-Black Society coordinators Lauren Brown and Larry Williamson, petitioned for a black student lounge in Elliott Hall, creating a space for learning about black culture that will improve race relations on campus and be attractive to prospective African American students. The petition contained an impressive 106 signatures supporting the creation of a black student lounge. Keep in mind, that UNCG only had 148 black students total at this point in time. The lounge was granted and a mural by a black student was commissioned. The lounge still stands in what is now the Elliott University Center.
The Neo-Black Society has several committees related to the promotion of African American empowerment, academic success, and community engagement. Performance committees were introduced early in the establishment of the NBS and included a Writer’s Circle, Drama Troupe, Dance Troupe, and, what is considered to be the oldest continuing subgroup of the Neo-Black Society, the NBS Gospel Choir. The NBS Gospel Choir was created in 1968 by three members of the Neo-Black Society in order to promote community outreach through song. The Neo-Black society records state that, in the 1980s, the group had over 100 active members. In 1988, the NBS Choir even sought to record an album with producer David Allen and Joyful Music Productions and use sales to supplement a scholarship fund and supplies for the organization. The choir lost its SGA funding in 2001 due to its religious nature; however, the choir continues to be an active part of the larger NBS organization and still operates on campus to this day. They can be followed on Instagram @uncg_gospelchoir
In February 1973, six white UNCG students (with at least four being current Student Government Association (SGA) senators) filed a complaint with the SGA’s Committee on Classification of Organizations, calling for the revocation of The Neo-Black Society’s financial support and recognition. This petition cited two major complaints from those students: claiming ties between NBS and YOBU (the Youth Organization for Black Unity, previously the Student Organization for Black Unity, a Greensboro-based civil rights group that formed in extension of the Black Panther Party), and claiming that due to their alleged affiliation, NBS would limit its membership violating SGA bylaws requiring organizations to “be open to any and all undergraduates” and potentially leading the school into violation of the Civil Rights Act. At the time, The Neo-Black Society had an impressive membership of approximately 145 students, all Black, with a minuscule history of white membership.
The SGA Committee on Classification of Organizations as to whether the Neo-Black Society qualified for recognition and funding under the SGA By-laws. The committee ruled that the Neo-Black Society’s activities fell within the parameters set by SGA and that complaints about its ties to a national organization and its membership rules did not violate SGA By-laws. The Committee did suggest a wording change to the Neo-Black Society’s constitution to clarify the organization’s intent. Despite this ruling, Student Senate meetings were held on March 20th, 26th, and 27th to further discuss the Neo-Black Society, a vote was taken on the issue, and the Senate voted to reclassify the NBS, removing its funding and rights to use university facilities. It was reported that the Senate questionably chose to exclude NBS and Senate member Donna Benson from voting on the issue, saying she could not be impartial, whilst allowing 4 other Senators who had participated in filling the original complaint against NBS to vote. A scuffle in the Senate chambers after the vote landed one student in the hospital and another was tried and found guilty in District Court of assault.
An estimated 750 students (both black and white) gathered in front of the Mossman Building for a sit-in demonstration to protest the Student Senate’s decision. Chancellor James Ferguson convened a faculty committee that overturned the Student Senate’s decision on March 31, 1973, giving funding and recognition back to The Neo-Black Society. Some white members of SGA, most notably Vice President Jacqueline Coleman, stated their intent to appeal his ruling to the UNCG Board of Trustees and before that meeting could be called to action 5 students went as far as to file to sue the University. That June, the Board of Trustees agreed with Chancellor Ferguson’s ruling to overturn SGA’s decision due to their lack of evidence and inappropriate appeal/meeting conduct. It wasn’t until November 1973, after months of argument, that the students filing suit dropped their suit. In January 1974, the Neo-Black Society was made to change its constitution “in order to dispel any appearance of engaging in discriminatory practices.” The original NBS constitution stated, “the aims of the Neo-Black Society are to promote understanding and a sense of unity among black students.” The new constitution states that “the Neo-Black Society shall be open to and shall welcome all undergraduate students without regard to race, religion, color, creed, national origin, or sex.”
In 2006, NBS became the largest affiliated organization at UNCG. The NBS continues today to promote community service, sponsor cultural and artistic groups, and raise awareness of Black culture in its membership. They can be contacted through their Advisor, Dr. Brown-Jeffy.
by Rebecca Eliassaint
