Project 100 and the African American Studies Program

The African American Studies Program that exists today was actually started by students, many of whom were part of Project 100.

In the late 1960s' universities and colleges across the country were thrown into turmoil by student protests over the Vietnam War and Civil Rights. Students were demanding a say in policy pertaining to those issues. Black students across the country wanted more courses and faculty that would address their concerns.

Like many universities, the University of Detroit  had no Black Studies Program. But students of Project 100 demanded that the University offer more courses centered on African American identity and culture. Eventually, the University developed an autonomous black studies program.

By the Fall semester of 1970-1971, the Center for Black Studies began operation, but not without controversy. Those first few years were tumultuous as conflicts arose over: policy, ideology, faculty, budget, and administrative procedure.

But through the persistence and the vision of the Project 100 students, the Center of Black Students continued, and evolved into the African American Studies Program currently offered at UDM.