UM’s sad Jim Crow legacy began to crumble radically in the 1960’s as the impact of the Civil Rights and Black Liberation movements found its way to College Park. One of the student demands of the time was a call for more Black History.  Although taught on some predominantly Black campuses, it was almost unknown at predominantly white institutions like UM.

After considerable pressure from Black students and their supporters, the UM History Department agreed to offer a course in US Black history. I think the year was 1968.

The first day of class saw an auditorium crowded with around 200 students eagerly awaiting the arrival of the professor. Numerous BSU, SDS and SGA people had signed up. I had never seen so many Black students in any of my classes before.

Then a tall Black man with an Afro entered the room accompanied by 2 whites.  A bespeculated white man took the podium. The room was filled with tension. He announced in a deep Southern drawl that he was Doctor Dan Carter and that he would be teaching the class.

There was instant angry confusion. A white cracker teaching Black history? The guy with the Afro was only a grad student!? Somebody must have slipped LSD into President Elkins’ morning coffee.

I thought there might actually be a riot. I don’t remember what Dan Carter said to calm the situation, but somehow the class went on after some rather pointed discussion.

It turned out that while Dan Carter was indeed a Southern white, he was far from being a cross-burning cracker. He actually knew something about the history of Black people in America. While many of us were uncomfortable with the general situation, it was clear that the guy knew his stuff.

Dan Carter eventually moved on to Emory University and the University of South Carolina. An expert on the Scottsboro Case, I recently saw him talk about it on a PBS special. I know he has a book on the subject.

I don’t know the behind-the-scenes politics involved in why he was chosen to teach and doubt there were too many more white guys teaching Black History. Still, I ended up liking Dan as a teacher. He was knowlegeable and presented his lectures with fire and passion. Plus, let’s face it, it took a lot of guts for a Southern white guy to stand up in 1968 and do what he did.