In 1839, 176 years ago, the slave state of Missouri founded a university at Columbia, the first public institution of higher learning west of the Mississippi. In 1950, 65 years ago, the University of Missouri at Columbia admitted its first black student. Columbia is about 100 miles from Ferguson, so it is unsurprising that recent racial incidents on campus were of concern to many students and faculty members, especial if they are African American. What was surprising: Inaction on the part of University President Tim Wolfe.
Campus protests, begun in September, were met with administration lip-service. Last week a UM grad student went on a hunger strike. Nothing. On Saturday the University’s football team announced it wouldn’t practice or play for the rest of the season unless University President Wolfe resigned. On Monday morning he did.
The Mizzou Tigers play the BYU Cougars on Saturday, November 14th , 6:30 PM CST at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri.
The University of Missouri motto: Salus populi suprema lex esto, “Let the Welfare of the People be the Supreme Law.” Seems like it takes a concerned Southeastern Conference team of enforcers, though.
More:
“How the Missouri football team just took down its university president,” Phillip Bump, Washington Post
“University of Missouri president and chancellor resign amid race protests,” Tom McCarthy, Les Carpenter, and Steven W Thrasher, The Guardian
“The lesson of Tim Wolfe’s resignation: You can’t ignore racism anymore,” German Lopez, Vox
“University of Mo. President Resigns, Proving That #SportsLivesMatter,” Jason Johnson, The Root
“The incidents that led to the University of Missouri president’s resignation,” Elahe Izadi, Washington Post
“The Financial Calculations: Why Tim Wolfe Had to Resign,” Adrienne Green, The Atlantic
“How Sports Economics Aided the University of Missouri Protest,” Dwyer Gunn, Pacific Standard
“3 Lessons From University of Missouri President Tim Wolfe’s Resignation,” Dave Zirin, The Nation
Related:
University of Missouri Chancellor’s Diversity Drive
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Tags: college football, concernedstudent1950, football, intolerance, Missouri, Mizzou, racism, Tim Wolfe, University of Missouri
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