The article describes efforts at MSU Board of Trustees meetings on May 27 and June 24, 1983 by the African Students Union and SALC to place on the Trustees' agenda removing the name of John McGoff's from the Festival Stage at the Wharton Performing Arts Center because of his strong ties to the apartheid government in South Africa. Despite support from Trustee Martin, the request was not put on the agenda, and some Trustees said there was no procedure for removing someone's name from a building. Kofi Egbo, President of the African Students Union, presented petitions with 600 signatures and 30 group petitions asking the removal of the McGoff name from the Festival Stage at the May 27 meeting....
The article describes efforts at MSU Board of Trustees meetings on May 27 and June 24, 1983 by the African Students Union and SALC to place on the Trustees' agenda removing the name of John McGoff's from the Festival Stage at the Wharton Performing Arts Center because of his strong ties to the apartheid government in South Africa. Despite support from Trustee Martin, the request was not put on the agenda, and some Trustees said there was no procedure for removing someone's name from a building. Kofi Egbo, President of the African Students Union, presented petitions with 600 signatures and 30 group petitions asking the removal of the McGoff name from the Festival Stage at the May 27 meeting. Marylee Wiley of the African Studies Center played a recorded message from a Zimbabwean education official pointing out how the McGoff name detracted from the reputation of MSU in African countries. Professor of Anthropology Department David Dwyer, Intramural Sports Director Frank Beeman, and SALC representative Emily Phillips all made presentations requesting the removal of the McGoff name from the Festival Stage. Both meetings was well attended by supporters of the African Students Union petition. SALC also is continuing to meet with other members of the Michigan Coalition Against Apartheid in their MICH-Divest campaign to support Rep. Virgil Smith's bill to divest Michigan pension funds from South Africa. [Note: This may be an article from Peace Center Newsletter, the newsletter of the Peace Education Center. SALC was a committee of the Peace Education Center in East Lansing as well as being an MSU student organization.]
