Student Organization for Black Unity facts for kids
The Student Organization for Black Unity (SOBU) was a group of African American students in North Carolina, United States. It was started in 1969 and led by Nelson Johnson, a thinker who believed in Marxist ideas about equality.
The group was based in Greensboro. At first, its main goal was to stop the forced mixing of Black and white schools. They wanted to make sure Black students had a learning environment where they felt good about themselves and equal to others. SOBU was part of the larger Black Power movement, which focused on Black pride and self-determination.
Later, the organization expanded its goals. It began to work for the civil rights of all Black people in the community. At this point, its name changed to the Youth Organization for Black Unity (YOBU). This change was made by Roderick D. Bush.
The Black sit-in movement started across the country in North Carolina on February 1, 1960. Four students from N.C. A&T College began this important protest. In the early 1960s, there were many large protest marches by students and the wider Black community.
By 1968 and 1969, there were also some violent clashes. Black high school and college students had intense confrontations with the police. In the early 1970s, SOBU, which became YOBU, was based in Greensboro. It had many supporters among Black students throughout North Carolina.
In 1972, YOBU organized a "Save Black School" campaign. This campaign brought together almost 5,000 Black students. They held a large demonstration at the State Capital in Raleigh. Nelson Johnson, who was the chairman of YOBU, and other YOBU activists were very important in organizing Black community groups. These groups led protests about rent and fought for the rights of Black workers well into the 1970s.
Why the Group Started
For many years in North Carolina, laws called Jim Crow laws kept Black and white people separate. This meant that Black colleges, like North Carolina A&T State University and Bennett College, were created. These schools provided education for Black students who were not allowed into white colleges.
In the 1970s, after the Civil Rights Movement, there was a push to integrate, or mix, people of different races into these schools. The Student Organization for Black Unity (SOBU) was formed by students to argue against this. They wanted to keep the schools as Black-only institutions. Their goal was to help students feel a strong sense of community and pride in their race.
The members of SOBU worried that mixing the schools would make education worse for Black students. They thought it might lead to harder admission rules. They also feared that Black leaders and teachers might be replaced by white ones.
About the Founder
Nelson Johnson was a key leader of SOBU. He believed in Marxism, an idea that calls for a society where everyone is equal. He thought there should be either complete equality for all races or complete separation, but with equal resources for everyone.
Johnson was very involved in the civil rights movement and the Black Power movement. He worked with groups like Youth Educational Services and the Greensboro Association for Poor People. Johnson used strong methods to push for his causes. He founded the Student Organization for Black Unity in May 1969.
How They Took Action
The Student Organization for Black Unity (SOBU) mostly focused its energy on improving local communities. They worked at a basic level, helping people directly, rather than just protesting. This approach helped them gain support from the wider community.
However, sometimes they did take a more direct role in the Black Power movement. For example, when schools were about to be desegregated, members of SOBU took part in a sit-in. About sixty students occupied the Allen Building on Duke University's campus.
The organization also put on a "black week." This event helped them share their message and encourage students to feel proud of their African heritage. Members of SOBU even wrote a report for the United Nations.
As time went on, the organization, now called YOBU, became more focused on Marxist and nationalist ideas. After the organization eventually ended, many of its leaders joined another political group.
