University of Arkansas Fayetteville - Razorback Yearbook (Fayetteville, AR)

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DEDICATION ceremony Tim Cullen, Associated Student ovemment president, and Ralpl vf ' lac Students Associa President, unveil the Silas H. Hur deriir°! T1rnerative P |ac l ue during t incl H° n cere monies. Speakers mcluded (top) Chancellor Dan anH K r ' (Center) Chauncey Brumr Photos ° m Maxwel1 - T - Doster “A LANDMARK EVENT FOR THE UNIVERSITY.” STUDENT HALL DEDICATED TO SILAS H. HUNT L ONG BEFORE the Little Rock Central High Crisis and other forced integration through¬ out the South, Silas H. Hunt walked the hills of the UA campus. In 1948, Hunt made history by entering the UA School of Law and breaking the color barrier at traditionally white southern colleges. Hunt, 25, was the first black student admitted to an institution of higher learning in the South, and he did so without litigation or resistance. Hunt attended only one semester before he was forced to leave due to health problems, but he paved the way for others to follow, such as Jackie Shrop¬ shire, the University’s first black graduate and George Haley, brother of Alex Haley, author of Roots. Hunt, a World War II Army veteran, had gradu¬ ated from the predominantly black Arkansas Agri¬ cultural, Mechanical and Normal College in Pine Bluff. He died in April 1949 from tuberculosis. In 1993,45 years after his historic entrance to the University, the UA celebrated Hunt’s courage by naming the new student hall in his memory. Silas H. Hunt Hall, an all-purpose center located at Maple and Garland where students conducted business related to admissions, financial aid, enrollment and student accounts, was dedicated during “The Silas Hunt Legacy” celebration weekend in February. “This is a landmark event for the U of A in the tradition of great celebrations such as the rededicat- ion of Old Main,” Chancellor Dan Ferritor said. “We owe a debt of appreciation for the contributions of black students and alumni and I believe this is a celebration 45 years overdue.” During the weekend events, Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher was the keynote speaker at a banquet honor¬ ing Hunt. Fisher, who, with her attorney Thurgood Marshall, in 1948 battled the state of Oklahoma all the way to the Supreme Court where she won entrance to the University of Oklahoma law school, helped open the door to higher education tor blacks. “I relate to Silas Hunt in the early days,” Fisher said. “Hunt was sent to the basement to study. 1 was sent behind bars and ropes and chains to study. And I know — 1 appreciate — the anxiety, the fear and the pressure that Hunt had to feel during those early days, because I felt them also.” Fisher said that Arkansas, particularly the UA, pioneered the desegregation of institutions of higher education. “The University of Arkansas and the state of Arkansas are to be commended for being in the forefront of providing education for African-Ameri¬ cans at the graduate and professional levels,” said Fisher. “Arkansas led the way in desegregating higher education in the southern states, and history will certainly record you that way. That is very, very wonderful.” Fisher also said that great victories have been won , and many changes have taken place in today’s society. She said that the responsibility now is to pass the fruit of those victories on to the next generation. “We who have seen remarkable changes take place in society, from the days of shackled slavery, to the days of Silas Hunt, to the days of Thurgood Marshall, we have a duty to share our experience with our young — to share our confidence in the democratic process,” Fisher said. “We have a duty to say to them, democracy works, but you must work to make it work.” Y MATT H E L M E Silas H. Hunt Hall Dedication 19

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18 Student Life

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SNOW JOB Constructing a snow house behind the Christian Student Center, Scott Karnes, Don Wilcox, Shay Wright and Dennis Roote enjoy the unexpected break. The men said they planned to sleep in the frozen structure that night. P. Walrod photo SNOWBALL FIGHT Taking advantage of the unexpected winter snow, students went outside and had giant snowball fights. Since classes were closed for two days and driving was hazardous, students went outside to play in the snow to break cabin fever. P. Walrod photo SKI VACATION Skiing in front of Old Main, graduate student Laura Haas took advantage of the foot of snow that accumulated on Feb. 15. “I never thought that I’d get to actually ski in Fayetteville,” Haas said. “I thought I would only ski at resorts. I fell on Dickson Street, but it was worth it.” Skiing was probably the easiest way to get across campus because buses were not running and sidewalks were covered with ice. P. Walrod photo 20 Student Life