Demonstrations and Student Organized Events
One of the most interesting aspects of activism at Scranton was how students organized events and demonstrations in support of civil rights. The University of Scranton contained an organization known as the LaFarge Student Inter-racial Council. This organization helped create events on campus such as Friendship Day. In addition, students on campus also took part in a demonstration that occurred in Scranton Technical High School.
Friendship Day
This information comes from a newspaper article titled "Friendship Day Slated: Interracial Project Started by Group of Student Students." The article details how members of the LaFarge Student Inter-racial Council created an event where black and white families meet with each other. The council existed at the university, and the event they created was called National Friendship Day. Additionally, a tutoring project was also set up where students from Marywood and Scranton would tutor black high school students in the area. These activities were actually organized at the rally with Luke Shanley and Michael McCloskey.
Black Recruiting Grows
This article from the University of Scranton newspaper, the Aquinas, shows the University was trying to diversify their student body by specifically bringing in more African American students. The article details how Fr. McIlhenny, the Director of Admissions, wanted to do this. It says how Fr. McIlhenny wanted to increase Black recruiting but says that the area is not attractive for many Black students as the city of Scranton has a very small Black community. The article does say that the University of Scranton did set aside five scholarships for qualified Black students, showing that the school was trying to diversify their student body.
Group Gathers for Meeting on Negro Plight
This article shows how members of the school board in Scranton were trying to include Black History into their curriculums. It shows how the school board, specifically a man named Joseph L. Pollock, was upset with Mayor James J. Walsh for not pushing to include Black History into the school lessons. A man by the name Angelo Craig organized a meeting to argue for Black History to be taught in schools. Six-hundred members of the University of Scranton who came to support Pollock and his vision. There were also other students from schools such as Marywood College, College Misericordia, King's College, Wilkes College, and Keystone Junior College, showing that Scranton students were communicating with other schools to try and get Black History into Scranton school curriculums.