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Jason Lowery transferred from Portland State University early in
his academic career because the school did not offer a black
studies major. He returned to rally support for the major with his
twin brother, Cane.
Professor Darrell Millner helped write the proposal to bring a black studies major to Portland State. He thinks the major reflects
changing demographics at PSU and a resurgence o f student activism.
photos by D avid P i . e < hi TT he P ortland O bserver
PSU Students Seek Black Studies Major
Twin brothers
are activists
on a mission
by D avid P lechl
T he P ortland O bserver
When Cane Lowery was a fresh
man at Portland State University,
he gave up on the school because
it didn’t have what he was looking
for - a black studies major.
“1 went to Tennessee State be
cause they have an accredited black
studies program,” Cane said. “I
wanted to go to a school that had a
progressive attitude.”
Cane and his twin brother, Jason
intended on graduating from Ten
nessee, but decided the real chal
lenge was to bring to Portland State
it’s own accredited black studies
program.
“I decided I couldn't leave PSU
hanging like that,” Cane said. ”So I
decided to come back."
Cane and Jason are now seniors.
Cane is the president of PSU’s Black
Cultural Affairs Board and Jason is
the Multicultural Coordinator.
Upon their return, the brothers
met with administrators and faculty
To iron out logistics. They gauged
student support and collected over
7,000 signatures in favor of the ma
jor.
“PSU has a mission o f diver
Cane Lowery is the president o f the Black Cultural Affairs Board
at PSU and has been active in organizing support for a black
studies major at the school.
sity,” Jason said, “It’s very impor
tant that we diversify the educa
tional system as well.”
While PSU does have black stud
ies curriculum, the school has never
offered a black studies major. If the
students are successful in launch
ing the program, the school would be
the first state-sponsored university
in Oregon to offer such a major.
The goal, they say, is to meet the
demands of a increasingly diverse
student body and ensure that black
studies and black history have a firm
place in Portland' s academic world.
“When I started learning about
black history it surprised me in a
positive way,” Cane said.
He and his brother’s discovery
o f a black world beyond the stereo
or no Monday, Feb. 3. Students
have scheduled a day o f action on
the same day to show their support
and rally behind the cause that
appears to be gaining momentum.
“This is not a push solely by
black students, but by all students
on this campus,” Cane said.
The proposal is not asking for
additional resources.
“It w on’t make huge changes in
the curriculum, it will just mean an
accredited course,” Jason said.
Darrell Millner, a professor of
black history and black film history
at PSU, helped write the proposal
with department chair Kofi Agorsah
but gives most o f the credit to the
students.
typical media images of hip-hop
idols and professional athletes
struck a profound nerve.
“W hen you don’t have a sense
o f who you are, you are in a state of
chaos,” Cane said.
So far, the proposal has passed
the school’s curriculum committee
and must go before the faculty sen
ate. If approved, it moves on to the
Oregon University System board,
which can give the final go-ahead
or axe the proposal and send the
students packing.
But the Lowerys are optimistic.
"We have a tight proposal,” said
Jason, who counts overall student
support as vital in getting the pro
posal this far.
The faculty senate will vote yes
“If the students had not pushed
it, it would not be to the point it’s at
now," he said.
Millner said the actual idea for
the major has been floating around
the school for the last 15 years, but
this is the first time a proposal has
been written and submitted.
Millner said the support from stu
dents represents the chiutging na
ture of the state’s demographics and
a reemergence of social activism.
“Students are looking around
and seeing some things they want
to change,” he said. “As dem o
graphics change, universities need
to change to keep up with them."
M illner said that most universi
ties with black studies major are
located within major black popula
tion centers. Portland’s African
American population remains rela
tively small so the opportunity to
have the major is pjirticularly unique.
He also insists that black studies
are not only for blacks. He said
students of varying ethnic back
grounds have just as much or more
to gain.
For example, he said few stu
dents realize that of the first 12
presidents, nine were slave-hold
ers while serving in the W hite
House.
“If you’ve left that out o f the
equation, you’ve limited your abil
ity to understand the history and
these events,” M illner said.
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