Chisholm Urges Student Crowd To Battle Racism

Students should voice their complaints about Harvard's decision not to sponsor minority ordination events during freshman week. Former Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm told a University audience this week.

Her advice came during the question and answer period of her speech to a packed Agassiz. Theater Crowd Tuesday night.

The United States is experiencing a dramatic upswing of racism and intolerance, said the politician who is now a visiting professor of government and sociology at Mt. Holyoke college, calling America "not really a melting pot, but a salad bowl," She urged the audience of more than 350 to actively support racial and ethnic diversity.

After her remarks, Chisholm fielded questions ranging from the proper U.S. response to the soviet downing of KAL Flight 007 to whether the Federal Reserve should cut the prime interest rate.

Chisholm urged students to speak up about Harvard policies but must avoid "mau-mauing" the administration of practicing reverse racism or sexism. "We need to learn more about the art of compromise-it is the highest of all arts."

Chisholm told the group a Black presidential candidate could win enough delegates to determine the Democratic nominee if Black political leadership unites behind the idea. "But the bottom line is I don't think the Black leadership can or will get its act together," said the former Representative, who was the first Black candidate for president when she ran in 1972.

However Chisholm added that she believes Black political leader Jesse Jackson will run for president in 1984.

Just passing Through

Chisholm's speech was part of a one-day visit to Harvard that included a lunch with several Bunting Fellows and a brief appearance at an undergraduate Third World students women's brunch.

Radcliffe helped sponsor Chisholm's visit and a lookout before the speech, events planned by the Radcliffe Union of Students and the Third World Students Alliance as part of their freshman week program directed at minority and women students.