Students at Puget Sound have advocated for divestment a handful of times throughout Puget Sound history. The first example of this is in 1985-86 when students sought to have the university divest from companies that did business in South Africa and thereby supported Apartheid. Nationally, Johnny Clegg and Savuka, Talking Heads, and Paul Simon through his Graceland album were all part of the arts component running parallel routes through America's culture - all of whom ASUPS Concerts wanted to bring to campus. The energy from those desires created bookable opportunities with regional performers who had Zimbabwe/South African connections like Seattle's African growing marimba ensembles and dancers (UW had just hired their first ethnomusicologist). Ultimately this energy allowed Cultural Events (now ASUPS Performing Arts) and ASUPS Lectures to host South African anti-Apartheid, pro-divestment speakers and musicians such as Donald Woods, Helen Suzman, Randall Robinson, and the Uzulu Dance Company of South Africa on campus. And Desmond Tutu came to deliver a talk in Kilworth Chapel. Additionally, students gathered 500 signatures and protested outside a Trustee’s meeting. On May 2, 1986, students created a “Shantytown” by Jones Fountain to protest the University’s financial investments in South Africa. The work of ASUPS and broader student engagement with this issue and the combination of artistry and representation of Apartheid resulted in funding the enrollment of a South African student Thabo Mokoena ‘91. Thabo in turn joined our BSU, which allowed our BSU members to consider similar global perspectives outside of the traditional focus on the American Civil Rights movement.
There were countless instances of student actions calling for the University to divest from the government of South Africa, these examples listed below are just a few moments in time that are representative of the broader movements on campus and the ways in which students spoke out against university policy. There is a lot more information within old editions of the trail, yearbooks from this time, and other campus publications. If you are interested in learning more you can visit the Archives page on the library website and find out more about this time.
1980 Ethical Investment Conversations
Early into 1980, students began to seriously question the ethics of the University's investment portfolio and started publishing opinion pieces in the trail critiquing the administration. In his trail article trying to get other students involved in speaking out against the unethical investment policies of the University, student Bob Rosner wrote, "It is one thing to study finance and quite another thing to learn finance through analyzing the financial operations of UPS. If we, as students, can use our skills of analysis and expertise gleaned from the classroom to encourage constructive change at UPS, we will not only be better-trained students, but the University will benefit from the improvements." These calls from students worked and student engagement with anti-apartheid activism began to pick up.
1983 Donald Woods Speaks
In October of 1983 students brought journalist Donald Woods to campus to speak about his experience of escaping from Apartheid South Africa because of his outspoken anti-government publications. After he left the country he began traveling around the world, speaking out against the horrific regime that was Apartheid. He came to UPS at this time to speak about his book, Asking for Trouble: Autobiography of a Banned Journalist, and as a part of a larger series of speakers who came to UPS around this time. It was a big deal for UPS to have Woods come speak, in a trail article from the week he came into town, they wrote, "UPS is the first stop for Woods on a week and a half long tour in the U.S. After leaving Tacoma, Woods will meet with Robert McNamara to discuss the curtailment of U.S. exports to South Africa."
1986 Shantytown Protest
"Hey hey, ho ho, there's blood in our portfolio!" Puget Sound students chanted as they spent the night camped outside of Jones hall in protest of the investments the University had made in the Apartheid government of South Africa.
1987 Uzulu South African Dance Theater
Along with speakers and academics, Puget Sound students brought many artistic protest acts to campus to showcase the range of ways to protest the apartheid government. In the 1987 yearbook, one student wrote, "Powerful. Emotional. Two words that summarized the Uzulu South African Dance Theater’s performance at UPS. Performing before a fascinated crowd, the dancers gave us a glimpse of South Africa. IGUGU-LETHU is the story of a young warrior leaving his tribe in search of a better life in Johannesburg. The experiences of today’s “ Bantu” were lived vicariously. Donning traditional costumes, the U-ZULU dancers incorporated authentic ceremonial movements, music, and language into their act. English was used in places to clarify the story. The language barrier was not strong enough to stifle the emotions. Viewers went in not knowing what to expect. The dancers portrayed the life of the oppressed South African evoking a few laughs and more than a few tears. Whether the tears were of empathy or guilt, only the individual knows." This performance, alongside many other performances of artistic groups from South Africa, were a large part of the activism on the UPS campus.
A video of the Uzulu Dance Theater who performed at UPS during apartheid.
A group of artists named "Artists United Against Apartheid" produced this video and song to speak out against the atrocities of the apartheid state.