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| W. S. Scarborough, one of the early professors at Allen University Photo from Blackpast |
One thing that I found surprising about how the Governor's attacks on universities played out is that professors played essentially no role in the conflict. The conflict played out almost entirely between the state government, the Board of Trustees, and the AAUP.
While both Allen and Benedict ultimately dismissed the 6 faculty, the specifics of how this was done differed in important ways. Allen University Board of Trustees was able to effectively resist pressure from Governor Timmerman and President Veal for a year. At two meetings, they were able to block attempts to dismiss faculty, and President Veal ultimately succeeded only after unilaterally replacing the Board Chairman with someone more supportive of him.
The Board of Trustees of Benedict College were less effective. The month after Timmerman publicly accused Benedict of harboring communist workers, the Board of Trustees issued a statement stating that, after making a reasonable inquiry, they found no evidence of their faculty promoting communism. However, at their next meeting, the Board of Trustees voted not to renew the contracts of the accused faculty.
A close study of the meeting is revealing. The Benedict board was racially mixed, with about half the members being white and half black. It seems that all members wanted to get rid of the accused faculty, but when deciding on how to do this, the board split along racial lines. A majority of African American members advocated for not renewing contracts, while a majority of white members advocated for summary dismissal (the more punitive action). White board of trustee members also gave voice to Governor Timmerman's concerns in a very direct way: one member was on the telephone with him during the meeting.
By contrast, at least a large majority of Allen University's Board of Trustees was African American. This seems to have limited influence of the Governor on their decision making and empowered them to resist President Veal.
The difference in the board probably reflects the nature of the HBCUs. Benedict College was founded by white Christian missionaries and until 1938 it was led by a white college president. Allen University, on the other hand, was founded by African American ministers affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal (or AME) church
It is illuminating to compare the governance of Allen and Benedict with that of S. C. State University. Here is a photo of their Board of Trustees in 1952:
While both Allen and Benedict ultimately dismissed the 6 faculty, the specifics of how this was done differed in important ways. Allen University Board of Trustees was able to effectively resist pressure from Governor Timmerman and President Veal for a year. At two meetings, they were able to block attempts to dismiss faculty, and President Veal ultimately succeeded only after unilaterally replacing the Board Chairman with someone more supportive of him.
The Board of Trustees of Benedict College were less effective. The month after Timmerman publicly accused Benedict of harboring communist workers, the Board of Trustees issued a statement stating that, after making a reasonable inquiry, they found no evidence of their faculty promoting communism. However, at their next meeting, the Board of Trustees voted not to renew the contracts of the accused faculty.
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| Presidents Bacoats and Veal at a political rally Veal is the second-from-the right, Bacoats the fourth From Richland Library |
A close study of the meeting is revealing. The Benedict board was racially mixed, with about half the members being white and half black. It seems that all members wanted to get rid of the accused faculty, but when deciding on how to do this, the board split along racial lines. A majority of African American members advocated for not renewing contracts, while a majority of white members advocated for summary dismissal (the more punitive action). White board of trustee members also gave voice to Governor Timmerman's concerns in a very direct way: one member was on the telephone with him during the meeting.
By contrast, at least a large majority of Allen University's Board of Trustees was African American. This seems to have limited influence of the Governor on their decision making and empowered them to resist President Veal.
The difference in the board probably reflects the nature of the HBCUs. Benedict College was founded by white Christian missionaries and until 1938 it was led by a white college president. Allen University, on the other hand, was founded by African American ministers affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal (or AME) church
It is illuminating to compare the governance of Allen and Benedict with that of S. C. State University. Here is a photo of their Board of Trustees in 1952:
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| The 1950 Board of Trustees at S. C. State University Photo from S. C. State University: A Black Land-Grant College in Jim Crow America |
Notice anything?
The person in the middle, next to the Confederate flag, is Strom Thurmond. I am guessing that he supported dismissing faculty who supported desegregation. Two years earlier Thurmond had declared, "there's not enough troops in the army to force the Southern people to break down segregation and admit the [expletive deleted] race into our theaters, into our swimming pools, into our homes, and into our churches."
You can listen to an Wikipedia's recording of Thurmond's speech here. (✋Warning✋: This is a speech by Strom Thurmond in the 1940s.)
- "Timmerman attacks: the Benedict professors"
- "Timmerman attacks: the Allen University professors"
- "Timmerman Attacks: Hoffman Update"
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