Black Cultural Center

Introduction

The Black Cultural Center, also known as the BCC or The Black House, was established in 1971. The building, a part of several building acquisitions made by the Institute in the 1960s, was allocated to the RPI Student Union and an agreement was formed with the Black Student Alliance (BSA) to initiate the purpose of the BCC.

History

Prior to becoming the Black House, the building located at 41 9th Street, had been a part of the psychology department. The building was used as a laboratory in 1968 until it was moved to the Carnegie building in 1971. Under the ownership of the Student Union, a Memorandum of Understanding was created in partnership with the RPI Union Facilities, the Business Affairs Office of the Institute, and the BSA. The agreement established a loan of $18,000 to BSA to be amortized and paid back by students occupying the building over the span of 10 years. 4 dormitory accommodations were incorporated into the renovation of the building and in 1981 the entirety of the $18,000 had been paid back. The 10-year loan also marked the expiration of the Memorandum and led to the eventual closing of the facility after years following no further agreement came to fruit.

Purpose

The purpose of the Black Cultural Center was to provide an expression of the black identity and a sense of the black cultural experience both in living and through art and history. The center also functioned as a place for both blacks and non-blacks to come together and learn more about African-American culture and the Black experience. The center provided a focal point and established a common ground between black culture and other cultures on campus. The BCC will serve as a place of assembly, study, and recreation. "The center was intended to be an area in which black students can feel at home and with which they can identify. This shall provide an outlet from pressures of being black on a predominantly white campus." (Retrieved from BSA archives, 1991).

Current State

In 1993, an Alumni Club known as SPECTRUM, revisited the BCC and its future. SPECTRUM was an alumni organization 'dedicated to the advancement of Rensselaer's minority perspective' that invited alumni and students to an open forum to discuss a multitude of issues and concerns raised by the community at the time. Among these, was the future of the Black House. Ultimately, the Institute brought in a surveyor for all of the RPI buildings and facilities in 1991 and an assessment of renovations was provided. The Institute's total estimate in renovations was $100 million, $250,000 of which was estimated for necessary restoration and safety upgrades to the BCC facility. (Source: SPECTRUM Reunion of 1993 publication)

No further documentation on the decision following the estimates nor the SPECTRUM forum are currently available and the exact closing date of the BCC remains unknown with current historical resources available. The building still remains today.

Additional Sources: https://archives.rpi.edu/institute-history/building-histories/black-cultural-center