A Sad Irony

This letter was originally sent to President Bok on January 15, the birthday of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

To the Editors of The Crimson:

It is the saddest of ironies that I must write to you on this day to inform you of an incident which took place last evening in Harvard's Indoor Athletic Building (IAB).

My brother and I arrived at the IAB shortly after 6:00 p.m. We displayed our Harvard identification cards to the door monitors and then proceeded upstairs to the weight room. Upon the completion of our workout, we proceeded into the hall leading from the weight room to the stairs. We observed a security officer walking towards us. As we approached the officer, he stopped us and asked whether we had properly identified ourselves upon entering the building. We produced our student identification cards, informed him that we had done so when we arrived, and asked him what the problem was. The officer stated that at least one Black male had entered the building and had refused to present identification upon request.

My brother and I then proceeded down the stairs until we were confronted by a second officer, who also stopped us and asked whether we were Harvard students. We again produced our student identification cards. The officer took out his eyeglasses and inspected the cards, commenting on the fact that the last names were the same. He then directed to the monitors the question whether we were "the ones." One of the monitors stated that we were not--that "one of them was tall." The officer then returned the cards and walked on.

I am 5'-9" and my brother in 5'-8". Doug Flutie would not describe either of us as being tall. However, he would describe us as being Black. I may be wrong, but I believe it is a fair reading of the facts to say that these officers were informed simply that one or more Black males had entered the building without identification, and on the basis of this "description" alone, the officers set about ferreting out the suspects.

I need hardly remind you that two Black law students were recently required to identify themselves on the law school grounds when Harvard security officers sought a "Black male with a mustache and wearing a dark suit." I am amazed that the University has failed to take corrective action.

I neither indict not condemn, but I do make a demand upon you and this University. I simply refuse to believe that Harvard security would seek to apprehend a "white male" who had entered a Harvard building without proper identification--or even a "white male with a moustache and wearing a dark suit"--without obtaining further descriptive information. Yet, I know that last night, officers twice stopped me, my brother, and, I suppose, several other Black males in the IAB--or at least the "tall" ones--until they had apprehended the offending parties. This University owes an explanation to its Black students, faculty, and personnel, as well as to the rest of the "Harvard community." And it owes that explanation long before the next January 15th. I anxiously await your response. Ronald R. Ross   Harvard Law School