MCSC History

Since as early as the 1960s students of color have worked to make their mark on the UW Madison campus. Against a hostile campus climate, slow and uncooperative administrators, and overt racist actions, students of color worked to make their voices heard and have attention given to the issues that they faced. African American students in the 60’s fought to realize the development of an Afro-American Studies Department through direct action organizing. Similarly Chicano students today continue the battle for a Chicano Studies department that was waged in the 70s by student activists. The 80s brought to fruition an organization representing students of color which was called Minority Coalition. The Coalition (made up of African American, Asian American, Native American, Chicano, and Puerto Rican students), formed to address the concerns and problems that students of color continued to face on campus. Some of these issues included the lack of a Minority Student center, the lack of minority representation in the faculty ranks, and the lack of education for majority students on issues of race.