This summary of the South Africa divestment campaign at Michigan State University (MSU) says the Southern Africa Liberation Committee (SALC) effort began in January 1978. SALC (with students, faculty, and staff members and backing of the East Lansing Peace Education Center) began with educational work, including films ("Last Grave at Dimbaza" and others), a forum by the African Studies Center, a Steve Biko memorial program, and literature tables throughout the year. Two approaches were used to bring pressure on the Board of Trustees: mass student organizing and educating and lobbying the Trustees directly. On February 28, 1978, the Board of Regents of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor...
This summary of the South Africa divestment campaign at Michigan State University (MSU) says the Southern Africa Liberation Committee (SALC) effort began in January 1978. SALC (with students, faculty, and staff members and backing of the East Lansing Peace Education Center) began with educational work, including films ("Last Grave at Dimbaza" and others), a forum by the African Studies Center, a Steve Biko memorial program, and literature tables throughout the year. Two approaches were used to bring pressure on the Board of Trustees: mass student organizing and educating and lobbying the Trustees directly. On February 28, 1978, the Board of Regents of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor passed a resolution to divest from companies not supporting the Sullivan principles. Shortly thereafter, a public meeting was called by the MSU Board of Trustees' Investment Committee to discuss what MSU should do regarding its investments, where many people spoke. SALC members sent a South Africa Facts folder to members of this Committee. In addition to this public meeting, divestment was raised before the University Committee on Academic Environment (UCAE), by U.S. and African students at MSU, the African Studies Center, the Anthropology Department, concerned Michigan taxpayers, and a member of the Consulate of the white South African government. The report says the University's investment firm, Scudder, Stevens and Clark, has delayed divestiture. The African Studies Center and SALC students kept South African a visible issue on campus, and students also periodically had a large banner at the main campus entrance saying "Make MSU Apartheid Free" and "Don't Finance Michigan Education With South African Lives. Support Divestiture." The report mentions John Makatini [also known as Johnstone Makhathini and Johnny Makhathini], the African National Congress (ANC), the United Nations, the "prudent man" rule, National Council of Churches (NCC), Interfaith Council for Corporate Responsibility (ICCR), UAW (United Autoworkers), the East Lansing City Boycott, and political and human rights.
