Race Relations
Cornell enrolled its first African-American student in 1897. On December 4, 1906, Alpha Phi Alpha, the first Greek letter fraternity for African-Americans was founded at Cornell. Cornell had a very low black enrollment until the 1960s, when it formed the Committee on Special Educational Projects (COSEP) to recruit and mentor minority students. In 1969, Cornell established its Africana Studies and Research Center, one of the first such black studies programs in the Ivy League. On April 1, 1970, during a period of heightened racial tension, the building that housed the Africana Studies center burned down. Since 1972, Ujamaa, a special interest program dormitory located in North Campus Low Rise #10, provides housing for many minority students. However, in 1974, the New York State Board of Regents ordered it desegregated, and its status remained controversial for years.
Read more about this topic: History Of Cornell University
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