Timeline

February 6, 1969 Black and Puerto Rican students invade President Gallagher’s office during his absence and leave “The Five Demands.”

February 13, 1969 Black and Puerto Rican students occupy the Administration Building for several hours to press their demands. President Gallagher issues statement answering affirmatively to the demands but no action is taken to implement them.

February 28, 1969 Students stage a sit-in after no answer from President Gallagher is received. He finally gives an ambiguous reply but does not set up a structure for negotiations.

April 15, 1969 President Gallagher openly invites all members of the Black and Puerto Rican Student Community (BPRSC) to meet with him in Aronow Auditorium to discuss their demands.

April 22, 1969 BPRSC seizes South Campus. Black and Puerto Rican students chain the South Campus gate.

April 23, 1969 Classes are canceled. Faculty meet in the Great Hall to determine a course of action. Gallagher announces that talks would begin with BPRSC and that school would remain closed.

April 23—May 5, 1969 South Campus and Klapper Hall remain in the hands of students while President Gallagher negotiates with BPRSC.

May 5, 1969 The college is open; negotiations are called off. Classes resume on North Campus. Agreement had been reached on three of the demands. Black and Puerto Rican students peacefully leave campus to avoid violent attack by the police. White radicals vacate Klapper Hall. Vandalism and theft during occupation totals $80,000.

May 7, 1969 Gallagher closes the school after a confrontation between groups of Black and white students on South Campus results in minor injuries.

May 8, 1969 Classes resume with NYPD officers on campus. Unidentified arsonists set fires in Finley Student Center. Aronow Auditorium sustains $250,000 in damages.

May 9, 1969 President Gallagher resigns because of outside political interference.

May 10, 1969 Joseph J. Copeland named acting President by BHE. Copeland outlaws weapons on campus.

May 14, 1969 200 hundred students rally on campus demanding to see President Copeland for an explanation of why he stopped negotiations on the Five Demands.

May 22, 1969 Negotiators agree on “dual admission” policy to admit half of each entering class on academic qualifications and half without regard to grades.