BLACK STUDENT UNION

1974 - 1989

The Black Student Union, established at Middlebury College in 1967 under the orignal title of Black Students for Mutual Understanding (BSMU), was a prominent social and political orginization on campus in the 1970s and '80s. Although it was small, the BSU worked hard to integrate their ideas, views, and agenda into an overwhelmingly "white" Middlebury community. Committed to "achieving a sound and diverse organization," the Black Student Union was politically active, sponsored events and speakers, and addressed a variety of issues on campus. Largely through their efforts, the African American community became a vital part of the college as we know it today.