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Student Activism at Duke University

Created by Jamie Patrick-Burns, 2014-2015 University Archives Drill Intern.

Activism-Focused Student Publications

  • Aurora: An early 1990s newsletter from the Duke Gay and Lesbian Alliance.
    • Some copies of this newsletter may also be found in box 1 of the AQUADuke Records.
  • BarbEast: A copy of the first (and possibly only?) issue of this student zine is available in box 3 of the Student Activism Reference Collection. The issue (from November 1981) criticizes the policies of then-President Ronald Reagan and discusses Duke's Nixon Library Controversy.
  • Community Change: The newsletter of Duke's Community Service Center, which includes listings for community service projects and student-written articles about service work and civic engagement. The University Archives has an incomplete set of issues from 2001-2006.
  • Christian Horizons: Published by the students of the Divinity School from 1938 to 1946, Christian Horizons examines the role of the Methodist Church and its clergy in issues of race, labor, peace and World War II, and even sex education. Topics of theological interest--as well as poems and short stories--are also included. (This publication continues to some extent as the Divinity School Bulletin.)
  • CORE Newsletter: Issues 1-5 (1963-1964) of the Duke University Congress of Racial Equality chapter's newsletter can be found in box 41 of President Douglas Knight's records.
  • Duke Review: Duke's conservative newspaper, published from 1989 to 2001.
  • Harambee: Published by the Duke Afro-American Society on Feb. 5, 1969 (the week before the Allen Building Takeover). Newspaper format containing commentary and illustrations relating to issues of African Americans in the US. A digitized issue is available in the Allen Building Takeover Collection.
  • Inter-view: Published from 1982-1984, this publication covers student perspectives (through interviews and direct quotations) on issues of race at Duke. Issues are available in box 3 of the Student Activism Reference Collection.
  • Prometheus Black: Initially the Black Student Alliance's newsletter, this publication (1976-ca. 1984) transitioned to a literary journal.
  • the real world: This 1965-1966 student newsletter covers labor and class issues, as well as the students' disenchantment with Duke's policies. Issues may be found in box 1 of the Student Activism Reference Collection.
  • Saturday Night: This student journal, published by the Women's Center's Sexual Assault Support Services, includes Duke students writing about their experiences of sexual assault, rape, and gendered violence, and also presents Duke/Durham resources for survivors. Four issues were published between 2003 and 2007.
  • The Talking Drum: Copies of the Black Student Alliance's newsletter (1990s-2000s) may be found in box 2 of the BSA Records. These issues have also been fully digitized and are accessible via that link.
  • We the People: The newsletter of Duke's Local 77 Union occasionally includes articles by Duke students or about Duke students' involvement in Union's work.
  • Weusi Za Weusi: Published by the Afro-American Society in 1970, this one-issue journal and literary magazine discusses issues of race on campus.
  • The University Experience: an unofficial student's guide to Duke University written by the progressive YM-YWCA. Issues cover various campus activism movements, as well as the status of women's, LGBTIQ, African-American, and workers' rights on campus. Additional copies may also be found in box 2 of the YM-YWCA Records.
  • Voices: This 1990s magazine was published by the Duke Women's Center and discusses feminism and women's issues. Articles and essays by queer and trans women are included.
  • Yellow Pages: This 2000s magazine, produced by the Asian Student Association, includes essays and articles about Asian-American stereotypes and the experiences of Asian and Asian-American students at Duke.

General Campus Publications

The Duke Chronicle

  • Our student newspaper began publishing as The Trinity Chronicle on December 19, 1905.
  • Issues of The Chronicle dating from December 19, 1905 to February 1989 have been digitized and made available online.
  • Beginning around 1993, articles are available online at The Duke Chronicle's website. Please note that the online archives of The Duke Chronicle does not reproduce advertisements, including classified ads.

Chanticleer

  • The Chanticleer—our student yearbook—published its first volume in spring 1912 (covering the 1911-1912 academic year).
  • Access digitized copies of the Chanticleer as part of the Duke University Libraries' Internet Archive collection.
  • Particularly starting in the late 1960s, the annual volumes often contain photos of and writing on student activism.

The Trinity Archive

  • Before The Trinity Chronicle began to publish in December 1905, the school's literary magazine, the Trinity Archive, functioned as a source of campus news and thought. The Archive is still being published, but is now strictly a literary magazine.
  • An index to the Trinity Archive (covering November 1887 to May 1932) is available online as part of the Duke University Libraries' Internet Archive collection.
  • Access digitized copies of the Trinity Archive (through 1924) as part of the Duke University Libraries' Internet Archive collection.

The Duke Alumni Register

  • Published by Trinity College's—and later Duke University's—Alumni Association starting in April 1915, the Alumni Register contains articles on campus milestones, events, trends, and people, as well as alumni updates.
  • Subject and name indexes are available as card files in the Duke University Archives. Please contact University Archives staff for assistance.
  • Access digitized copies of the Alumni Register (1915-1975) as part of the Duke University Libraries' Internet Archive collection.
  • Coverage of student activism is often included, although articles may be written from the administration's position.

Duke Magazine