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The foundation for the ALANA Cultural Center was laid in the 1960s by the student group association of black collegians and culminated in a 70-hour occupation of Merrill House and its faculty club. The Merrill House takeover led directly to the formal Alumni Of Color Association. The new Cultural Center Building was dedicated in the spirit of Colgate's ongoing commitment to diversity. In 1996, the center was renamed the ALANA Cultural Center as a result of students' suggestions that the building reflect the communities and purposes that it represents.
Today, ALANA continues that tradition and provides a voice and strength to those in need. (See a Colgate Scene article that revisits the history of the center.)
Click the presentation to view it in full screen. If you are having trouble viewing the presentation, you can also download the PDF. Here is a quick look at some key dates:
1969
ABC holds sit-in at Sigma Nu
ABC holds 100-hour sit-in at Office of Admission
ABC holds 70-hour sit-in at Merrill House, claiming the building as the campus cultural center in lieu of university action in creating a distinct center. Through their persistence, the former buildings and ground office site was designated as the cultural center in 1970.
1970
A cultural center is opened on the site of the former maintenance building with the stated mission "to develop educational programs and resources which demonstrate the contribution of ethnic groups for the benefit of Colgate students, faculty, staff, residents of Hamilton and other educational and urban institutions."
1980
The cultural center is fully refurbished and Mae Gwendolyn Henderson is named its first director
1985
The Minority Affairs Committee -- a committee composed of students, faculty, and administrators -- begin developing plans for a new cultural center.
1986
Then-director Verna Cole helps organize a reunion for alumni of color in New York City, an event which led to the creation of a formal alumni association.
Dean of the College William Moynihan begins talking about the construction of a new cultural center to "promote cross-cultural understanding."
1987
Director Eleni Tedla, named in winter of that year, felt the center had "great potential to be turned into a learning center for various cultures" while "meeting the needs of students of color. You can't empathize with people of color if you don't know their situation."
1989
On April 22, 1989, alumni and students of color gather together to rededicate the cultural center to its original purpose. Then-President George Langdon calls it “a commitment to diversity.”
A plaque dated 4/22/89 reads, "Dedicated to those brothers whose vision, determination and sacrifice to the ideals of cultural and ethnic diversity provided the foundation for the Cultural Center's reality." Another plaque quotes from Adam Clayton Powell's "One Day" speech: "One day the United States of America, with its bleeding wounds of race hatred, will be cleansed by the glorious healing power of God's love."
1996
Renamed ALANA Cultural Center
1997
"I want the center to be a place where everyone gets an opportunity to grow," says Dolores Walters, who became director in 1997.
2007
The ALANA Cultural Center names new director, Thomas Cruz-Soto.
Today, the ALANA Cultural Center occupies its own building, a sweeping edifice that is home to 12 student organizations and includes a kitchen, music room, seminar room, library, and multipurpose room. ALANA serves as a learning center and focal point where students, faculty and staff gather to understand the Africana, Latin American, Asian American and Native American cultures, struggles and accomplishments.