New England College Students Plan Teach-In Against Racism

Student representatives from nearly 20 New England colleges, including Harvard, agreed last night to launch a vigorous leafletting and media campaign to "build student solidarity against racism."

The students met last night at Boston University to discuss plans for a national teach-in against racism on December 13 at the Harvard Business School's Burden Auditorium.

"Students in the last few years just haven't been the most vociferous people, in contrast to students of the '60s, so we are taking the initiative in rallying student response to racism in Boston," Robert Harper '78, chairman of political affairs for the Harvard-Radcliffe Afro-American Students Association and chairman of the meeting, said yesterday.

The teach-in to be held at Harvard will "answer questions raised by racist slanders, distortions and lies in this city, by making the politics of the issue clear," Maceo C. Dixon of New York City said yesterday.

Mass March Planned

It will build student support for a mass march against racism to be held in Boston on December 14, Harper said. A student contingent will join the community march, originally initiated by State Senator-elect William Owens.

The predominantly white student group discussed media publicity, mass leafletting, fund-raising, possible speakers for the teach-in, and recruitment of student marshals for the march.

Media Blitz

Next Saturday, there will be a "blitz campaign" to blanket the area with information about the teach-in. Several radio stations and one TV station will publicize the upcoming activities.

Students across the nation are starting committees and opening offices to organize publicity and "solidarity actions" in support of the teach-in and march. Students from Chicago, Atlantic City and New York have planned bus trips to Boston for the march. In San Francisco, singer Stevie Wonder is doing radio spots to support the Boston event.

The Boston area student committee will hold several more organizational meetings between now and December 13 to plan further student participation in the teach-in and the march.