Eve of Black History Weeks marred by Racial Incidents

Eve of Black History Weeks marred by Racial Incidents

Crime on campus

Description of stabbing and fight that occurred after West Chester vs. Cheyney Basketball game, the victims the inaction of West Chester campus security.

Art Wilkinson

Quad Angles

West Chester University

February 9, 1971

Jacquelynne Conyers-Jordan

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https://digital.klnpa.org/digital/collection/wcnp01/id/14094/rec/3

Eve of Black History Week marred by racial incidents By ART WILKINSON A West Chester State College freshman is in satisfactory condition at Chester County Hospital after being stabbed in the abdomen shortly before 12:30 Sunday morning.Heidi Hackman was knifed following a melee in Lawrence Center, where a dance was being held after the WestChester-Cheyney basketball game. Michael Farguson from Cheyney and Lawrence Roberts of Villanova were also injured in the fight, both suffering lacerations of the face. Miss Hackman and her date were leaving the dance when they were assaulted by "an unknown group of blacks," according to Pennsylvania State Police at Exton. Police are looking for a girl believed to have attacked Miss Hackman. Inaction According to numerous witnesses, the security police on hand at the dance made no attempt to end the melee; the chair throwing ended by itself as quickly as it began. Eyewitnesses Neil Nameroffand Bob Clossen both W.C.S.C. students, watched a group of between ten to fifteen black males throw chairs at nearby white students and security police. At one point, they report that a black male leaped off a table onto a white student who was lying on the floor, apparently landing on the victim's head. The black then leaped to another table and is quoted as having said, "I am black. I am proud of my blackness - and I showed it." At this time, another black male grabbed him and told him to get off the table. The victim, bleeding profusely from the head was put on a table, and was later removed for medical aid Outside Lawrence Another report tells of further action outside Lawrence Center. Gordin Zibelman, a sophomore transfer from Community College of Philadelphia who has been at West Chester for only two weeks, was walking a girl back to Old Main. He stated that he was near Hollinger Field House and that a group of about twenty blacks were following him, cursing and throwing bottles at him. He was about to take the girl's hand and make a dash for safety when he was jumped from behind. He was then forced to the ground and was kicked for several minutes. Then he heard a voice telling him to get up. He looked up and a black male told him to get up and that he wouldn't hurt him. The unknown student apparently forced the group to leave Zibelman alone. The girl with Zibelman reported that she was not harmed by the group, but that there was another couple walking near them at the time of the attack and that the girl in that couple was attacked.