The ABC Manifesto
“The Black Manifesto” was released only two days after the hearing. It was subtitled, “We must struggle to learn… and we must learn to struggle!”. This manifesto was a 26-page document of ten demands of the Association of Black Collegians. ABS president, Robert Johnson, administered the manifesto to the press as well as Washington University directory.
On December 14, Washington University and ABC reached six of the ten goals within the manifesto as follows: The university agreed to (1) implement a black studies program, (2) provide more awareness and sensitivity training for staff around black student issues, (3) give black students a fully equipped meeting area, (4) provide assistance to blacks in finding off-campus housing, (5) eliminate its offensive African-American history course, and (6) grant amnesty to all the students who participated in the protest.
The four points within the following were left open, however, Chancellor Eliot agreed to increase Black enrollment to eight percent the following year.
(1) creating a policy for employment and promotion of black workers, particularly those working as porters, maids, or in food service or grounds keeping, (2) increasing financial aid for blacks, (3) increasing black enrollment (ABC’s goal was for the university to be 25 percent black by 1969), (4) ending university research in black communities.
By three in the afternoon on this day, the agreement was made and the students ended their occuppation in Brookings Hall.
On December 16 in a second hearing for the case of Walton, although the policeman later resigned, the officers were clearned of all charges.