African American Campus Experiences at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio

1. Freedom Summer at Western College for Women

Located at the Freedom Summer Memorial, this stop represents the history of the Freedom Summer Training and its ties to Western College campus. Hundreds of volunteers arrived on Western College campus in June of 1964 and were taught how to register Black voters in Mississippi. A memorial was dedicated by Miami University in 2000 to honor three civil rights workers who were murdered in Mississippi while investigating the burning of a Black church. These civil rights volunteers had trained on Western College campus as a part of the Freedom Summer Training just weeks prior to their deaths.

2. Shriver Center and African American Activism at Miami University

Shriver Student Center, first known as the University Center, was built in 1957 to accommodate a growing student population. Prior to this, students at Miami did not have an area dedicated to them on campus to hang out, study, eat, and build relationships within the student community. Since its creation, The Shriver Student Center has been a place of African-American activism at Miami University. The center has hosted prominent speakers such as Martin Luther King Jr. in 1959. May other guest speakers have inspired the fight for equality at Miami University and the United States. By hosting these speakers and being a place for open discussion, The Shriver Center has inspired many protests around campus and kickstarted African-American activism while also being a safe place for African-American students to spend time together.

3. African American Sororities at Miami University

Richard Hall is in the center of campus at 501 South Oak Street. This building has housed numerous sororities including the African American sororities Alpha Kappa Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta, and Zeta Phi Beta. The building offers living quarters and dining for the sorority students that live there. The African American sororities established at Miami offer important resources and support for female African American students as well as improving and providing aid to the community. Due to limited enrollment, African American sororities have historically struggled to finance housing and other needs, but with increasing diversity of the student body at Miami University they are growing in size and support.

4. Rowan Hall

Rowan Hall was the location for Miami University's Naval Science Department and was constructed in 1949. The building was named after Stephen Clegg Rowan, who went to Miami University from 1825-1826, and was the first graduate student to attend the Naval School in Annapolis. While he was in the Navy he participated in the Seminole War, Mexican-American War, and the Civil War. Millett Hall took over the Naval Science Department responsibilities in 1970. In 2011, Rowan Hall was renovated and became part of the new student union, Armstrong Student Center. On April 15, 1970, the Rowan Hall Takeover took place.

5. African American Faculty at Miami University

In the center of Miami University, Irvin Hall plays a significant role in the history of African American faculty. Irvin Hall was where the first African American faculty member, Heanon Wilkins, taught Portuguese. To help diversify the faculty Miami University developed The Office of Equity and Equal Opportunity (OEEO). By doing this Miami University swore to “Build and maintain a diverse and inclusive community is an integral part of Miami University’s mission and success.” With the support of the OEEO, MU hired several outstanding African American faculty remembered and honored today.

6. School of Education and African American Students at Miami University

McGuffey Hall is at the western edge of the Miami University campus in Oxford, Ohio on the corner of Spring Street and Campus Avenue. Built in 1909, the building houses the School of Education, Health and Society, formerly known as the School of Education and the Normal School. McGuffey contains classrooms, an auditorium, and a technology lab. McGuffey Hall is named after William Holmes McGuffey, famous for his McGuffey Readers, popular books for children that were used to teach reading and morals in schools in the 1830’s and for generations after. McGuffey Hall and the School of Education enrolled the first female students as well as the first African American students at the University. The School of Education attracted many Black students from the local area to the profession of teaching.

7. Uptown Oxford

Uptown Oxford consists of the four-block length of High Street from Campus Avenue to South Beech Street, with some alley businesses included. Bruno's Pizza (often mentioned by African American alumni as a favorite spot), Miami-Western Theatre, Wendy's, and Black churches of Oxford were, and remain, mainstays of student experiences at Miami University. Uptown Oxford is often as important as on-campus student life and provided African American students with recreational and social experiences that were foundational in their college life. And, Uptown Oxford offered a place for students to gather off-campus.

8. African American Fraternities at Miami University

Miami University has had a tradition of African American fraternal life, starting in 1953 and continuing today. Much of these Greek organizations were founded elsewhere but were brought to Miami because of the high commitment and demand for Greek Life at Miami University. Fraternities such as Alpha Phi Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, and Phi Beta Sigma are all African American fraternities here at Miami.

9. Swing Hall and African American Student Life

Swing Hall was built in 1924 and completely finished in 1935. Prior to 1936, Swing Hall was known as New Freshman Dormitory. Then in 1936, New Freshman Dormitory was renamed Swing Hall in honor of David Swing after a remodeling on the southern campus. David Swing attended Miami from 1853 to 1866 and was the principal of the Preparatory School.

10. Withrow Court and African American Student Life

Withrow Court was dedicated on February 13, 1932, and was located on Tallawanda Road. In 1931, it cost Miami University $300,000 to build the gymnasium in honor of John M. Withrow, a trustee for Miami University for forty-six years. Withrow Court was designated for men's physical education and intercollegiate athletics while women had a separate gymnasium. In 1976, women finally gained access to the Withrow Court facilities strengthening their athletic teams. The arena also served as an assembly hall, home court of Miami University's Men's Varsity Basketball Team, and the center for intramural activities. In the 1950s, Withrow Court became a witness to Wayne Embry, Miami University's first African American basketball player. Withrow Court was torn down in 2016 and replaced with Withrow Hall, a dormitory for first and second year students in 2018.

11. Millett Hall and African American Student Life

On December 2nd, 1968 Millett Hall opened on the northern edge of Miami University’s campus in honor of the 16th president at Miami, John D. Millett. The original building, costing 7.9 million dollars, housed athletic teams, such as basketball and volleyball and other gatherings such as graduation commencement, concerts, career fair, and more. In addition to its sports teams and events, Millet Hall is also home to offices and classrooms within the athletic department.

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African American Campus Experiences at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio

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