When Mary Barthwell came to Barnard in 1964, the campus stretched about a block and had few buildings. She lived in Reid Hall, the then-newest residential dormitory, with her roommate and childhood friend, Jean Gaillard Spaulding ’68.
“I knew I wanted to be a writer,” said Barthwell Evans. “But when I placed out of my first-year English class, my professor told me to find something to write about. This suggestion led me to read the work of Kwame Nkrumah, [who led Ghana to independence from colonial rule and become the country's first African-born Prime Minister], and to my growing interest in Africa.”
Her interest in African decolonization was the impetus for being one of the only female activists of the Students’ Afro-American Society (SAS) to occupy Columbia’s Hamilton Hall during the 1968 Columbia protests against the university’s decision to build a private gym in Harlem’s public Morningside Park. The protests came at a time when African American activism across the United States was charged by an intense struggle for civil rights and social justice.
So what did it mean to be an African American student at Barnard at the height of civil unrest? Barthwell Evans reflects on that and on how she continues to advocate for diversity as the CEO of the Barthwell Group — a management consulting firm based in Detroit — with the firm’s COO, her son, Walter K. Evans. (Check back in for the Winter 2024 issue of Barnard Magazine to read more about Barthwell Evans.)
I have experienced being the only or one of very few African Americans in educational environments pre-affirmative action. Without affirmative action, we will undoubtedly see a decrease in underrepresented minorities in higher education institutions.
How did you find your place at the College after you enrolled in 1964?
After discovering a course in international studies on campus, I came across [the work of] African activists. This is when I found my passion at Barnard. I became very interested in Africa because I really didn’t know anything about it. I was fascinated to learn how the former colonies were struggling or fighting for their independence, [and] I started taking every course I could find on Africa, at Barnard or Columbia.
I abandoned my original plan to become a novelist and [studied] the intersections between bipartisanship and democracy. There was an assumption that if a country had multiple political parties or a two-party system, it was going to be more democratic. I rejected this assumption. As an African American living in a two-party system, I didn’t necessarily feel that there was democracy for me. This led me to pursue a major in government, [or political science], at the College.
What prompted you to participate in the movements that eventually led to the Columbia protests?
It’s important to understand the context of the era [of the 1960s]. Students were protesting the Vietnam War across the United States. People were protesting the draft. There were many African American leaders challenging the myth that the country provided democracy for African Americans. I remember attending a lecture given by Eldridge Cleaver at Columbia and not being very impressed by what he was saying. On the other hand, I listened to Malcom X speak in Harlem.
During the four years I was at Barnard, and before the 1968 protests, I was surrounded by questions of what it meant to belong as an African American in this country. For instance, what were we going to do to make sure that people actually had freedom and equality?
Tracing Roots
Tracing Roots
Akosua Barthwell Evans ’68 shares how her family was the driving force behind her activism at Barnard and beyond:
“I come from a family that always prided itself on being part of a broader African American community, and wanting to see equality for all those in that community was a source of inspiration. This began with my uncle, who died because there was no immediate healthcare for Black people [in the early 20th century]. His death led to my father, Sidney Barthwell, becoming the oldest child of his family. When he traveled to Detroit during the Great Migration, he became a pharmacist in order to be supportive of the African American community. My brother, Sidney Barthwell Jr., and I saw the importance of this. There was a sense that no matter what success we might have had as a family, we were not going to be truly free until all of our people were free.”
Given your history with activism, what does it mean for you to see affirmative action come to an end in 2023?
The SCOTUS decision will have a chilling effect on progressive actions necessary to ensure an equitable opportunity for the best higher education for all. We are seeing de jure and de facto dismantling of institutions designed to promote equal higher education opportunities.
There have been numerous analyses documenting the correlation between diversity and greater innovation, productivity, creativity, and enhanced intellectual achievements. I have experienced being the only or one of very few African Americans in educational environments pre-affirmative action. Without affirmative action, we will undoubtedly see a decrease in underrepresented minorities in higher education institutions. This may result in more “groupthink” and insular education.
A Look Back
