First Baptist Parsonage – Abernathy House
Reverend Ralph David Abernathy was a civil rights leader and close friend and collaborator of Martin Luther King Jr. As a student at Alabama State College from 1946 to 1950, Abernathy led two protests: one against the food in the dining hall and one against conditions in the army barracks that were used for men’s dorms. Abernathy would take this spirit of activism into his future as he fought for civil rights and was involved in the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the Selma to Montgomery March (amongst other campaigns). While reverend of First Baptist Church, Abernathy lived in this house near ASU campus and remained active in the campus community. On the night of February 24, 1960, several ASU students came to the house of Reverend Ralph David Abernathy for advice on a sit-in demonstration in the city. Abernathy counseled the students and the next day they executed a sit-in at the snack bar at the Montgomery County Courthouse.
Corner of Jackson and North University
This is the site of the former Hornet Grill, where 29 students met on February 25, 1960 before marching to the Montgomery County Courthouse to sit-in in the “snack-bar.” Students ordered coffee and were refused service, eventually the students left without further incident and walked back to campus. Governor of Alabama, John Patterson, threatened to expel the students involved. Ultimately, nine students were expelled by the State Board of Education and twenty were put on probation. Many remaining students retaliated by skipping winter quarter examinations in solidarity. There was a demonstration planned for March 8, 1960 but police arrested 34 students along with tennis instructor Olean Underwood, for whom the tennis court is named today.
Friendship Manor
This house served as the ASU president’s home from 1922 to 1970. The last president to reside in the home, Levi Watkins, called it ‘Friendship Manor.’ On April 4, 1968, following Martin Luther King’s assassination, ASU students gathered on this lawn, demanding to speak to president Watkins. The students wanted the next day off of classes to mourn the loss of King, who had been a figure in Montgomery as well as a civil rights leader. While Watkins did not go out to speak to the students, he released a statement the next day that classes were suspended. During his tenure as president of ASU Watkins faced criticism for both doing too little and too much during certain events. Following student unrest after the Selma to Montgomery March in 1965, the KKK burned a cross in the yard of Friendship Manor.
Student Union / Dining Hall
The previous student union and dining hall was erected in 1966. The building housed three dining areas, a food services complex for students and faculty, as well as a snack bar. Also featured were lounges, the University bookstore, the post office, conference and meeting rooms, social and recreational facilities and rooms for visitors. In 2012, this building was demolished to make way for a new university center building. In 1969, President Levi Watkins fired an SLC fieldworker, Alvin Holmes, who worked in the financial aid office. Holmes claimed the termination was due to his civil rights activism while Watkins claimed Holmes had a “disregard for organizational authority.” The previous year, following the death of Martin Luther King Jr., Holmes had helped students take over the college union and dining hall along with Leon Hall. Nine days of protest followed the firing in which students took over the College Union and dining hall once again. The students had 20 demands including ending military recruitment on campus, the creation of a Black Studies program, and the renaming of the college union building to Malcolm X Hall. In response, Levi Watkins closed the school and had all students removed from campus. Following this takeover, 7 students were dismissed, 43 were suspended, and 2 were placed on probation.
W. H. Councill Hall
Built in 1955, William Hooper Councill Hall serves as the administration building for Alabama State University and has been the site of 2 student takeovers. In 1965, students took over the president’s office. Following the Selma to Montgomery March, President Levi Watkins threatened to suspend students who participated in demonstrations on or near campus. At first, students and fieldworkers of SNCC and CORE picketed outside several buildings on campus. Then, a group of students occupied the president’s office in W.H. Councill Hall and 13 were arrested when they refused to leave. Across campus demonstrations continued with mattresses being thrown out of dorms and fires being set at the intersection of Jackson and Thurman streets. In an attempt to coerce Watkins into controlling students, the KKK burned a cross in the yard of Friendship Manor and rode on horseback throughout campus to intimidate students. On October 20, 1992 ASU students boycotted all classes and staged a peaceful protest in the Administration Building. Controversy began in August when parking fees were raised. After the SGA met at the president’s office, students developed a list of demands including the lowering of parking fees as well as concerns over when financial aid letters went out and updates to computer and science labs. The administration responded on October 19th with no changes. Students, led by SGA President, Ennis Tait, commenced a sit-in of W.C. Councill Hall, the university’s administration building. Students peacefully waited in the building throughout the night, supported by university faculty who chipped in to order food for the protesters.
