The Path to Equality: Black Student Life at UCF

The history of the University of Central Florida was initially shaped throughout the 1960s and informed partially by social changes caused by the Civil Rights movement. On June 10, 1963, Governor Farris Bryant signed Legislative Bill 125, an act which sought to bring a new state university to east central Florida.¹ A year later, on July 2, the Civil Rights Act ended the segregation of public places. Following the Civil Rights movement, new opportunities became available to minority students at the University of Central Florida. These new opportunities—including the establishment of the Black Student Union and the beginning of multicultural events—enabled minority groups to become more integrated into student life at UCF.

The formation and involvement of the Black Student Union was essential for establishing a safe and equal environment to encourage and to recruit a diverse student population. The call for a higher representation of diversity began in the early 1970s. This resulted in many changes that advanced UCF’s social development: the hiring of African American professors, the implementation of a new curriculum focusing on African American history, and an effort to recruit minority students both locally and nationally. The increasingly diverse student population brought further attention to the need for more representation of minority students on campus by hosting multicultural events such as Black Awareness Week.

From its foundation, the University of Central Florida has faced a myriad of challenges when it comes to addressing equality in the lives of its minority student populations. However, due to the contributions of those who advocated for increased representation and recognition, UCF continues along a path to equality.

¹ University of Central Florida, "Step One: Legislative Bill 125," UCF 50 Years, accessed August 2, 2017, https://www.ucf.edu/50/timeline/50-years-of-ucf/