Summary
Highlights
In 1999, Berkeley students organized a strike to protect the Ethnic Studies department from budget cuts and faculty loss, drawing inspiration from the 1969 Third World Liberation Front. The original movement fought for a Third World College, including departments for Asian, Black, and Chicano Studies, aiming to offer an education that reflected the histories and realities of people of color and prepared students to serve their communities.
The 1999 Berkeley student strike, like the 1969 movement, faced violent resistance, with the National Guard deployed and tear gas used. Despite this, the Ethnic Studies Department emerged, challenging traditional education by integrating community perspectives. However, from its early days, the department struggled with scrutiny and criticism from the administration, which was compounded by severe budget cuts in the early 1990s.
The economic recession of the early 90s led to anti-immigrant sentiment and propositions like 187, 209, and 227, reinforcing the need for Ethnic Studies to provide critical analysis of inequality and race relations. Students recognized the administration's disregard for their concerns, particularly those of students of color, regarding declining funding and class offerings. This led to a growing sense of urgency and a decision to take significant action.
On April 14, 1999, students occupied Barrows Hall, home to the Ethnic Studies department, demanding new faculty and departmental sustainability. The occupation united the campus community, fostering daily protests. Subsequently, on April 29, five UC Berkeley students and one San Francisco State student began a hunger strike outside California Hall, aiming to appeal to the university's moral conscience and put pressure on the administration, which historically struggled with how to address such actions.
The hunger strike garnered widespread support, with individuals emphasizing the importance of Ethnic Studies for diverse historical accounts and personal identity. Students and faculty stressed the university's accountability to its students and the broader community, linking the fight to larger societal issues like bilingual education, affirmative action, and immigrant rights. However, the Chancellor remained firm, refusing to negotiate and keeping his options open regarding police intervention.
On the fifth day, at 3:00 AM, the administration sent university police to arrest the hunger strikers. Police barricaded the camp and forcibly removed protesters, leading to injuries and widespread shock. This aggressive response, however, solidified student resolve and outrage, leading to even greater mobilization. The following day, thousands of people, including community members like Dolores Huerta and Angela Davis, came out in support, highlighting the broader significance of the struggle.
With overwhelming public and faculty support, the Chancellor was compelled to negotiate. The administration largely agreed to most demands, but two key issues remained: faculty hires and amnesty for arrested students. The amnesty issue became a major sticking point, with the Chancellor initially declaring it a "deal breaker." Although a settlement was reached, the issue of amnesty for those arrested was not fully resolved, leading to some arrests despite the agreement.
The strike of 1999, characterized by collective action and the unwavering dedication of students, faculty, and the community, resulted in significant gains for Ethnic Studies at UC Berkeley, including the restoration of previous cuts, additional faculty positions, and new centers. While some felt the outcome was a total victory, others acknowledged that the fight for amnesty for arrested students remained unresolved. The movement underscored the ongoing need to challenge the system and continue the struggle for educational equity and social justice.