Black Graduate Student Association is established

February, 1986

The Black Graduate Student Association (BGSA) was established in 1986 to provide “a cross-academic line-and-support network” for African American graduate students.

On December 4, the BGSA was granted a charter by the Graduate Student Association. At the time there were an estimated 300 African American graduate students at the University. 

Elizabeth Lewis-Brooks, Andrew Jackson, Catherine Lyons, Morgan Laury, Laverne Gyant, Lennox Jackson, Jacqueline Smith and and John Barnes were among the founders of the group.