Sanders To Hold Jeffries' Speech

City University of New York Professor Leonard Jeffries is scheduled to speak in Sanders Theatre at 8 p.m. today and at least eight students organizations are expected to protest outside the lecture hall.

Jeffries, who was invited to speak by the Black Students Association (BSA) and two graduate student groups, has been widely condemned as a racist and an anti-Semite, and his appearance tonight has prompted a storm of controversy on campus.

Last minute preparations for the speech reached a frenzy yesterday as five more student organizations decided to join a planned demonstration and University officials moved the event to Sanders Theatre.

University officials said the speech was rescheduled for Sanders primarily because of security factors. The speech was previously scheduled for Sever 113 and then for Emerson 105.

"For security reasons, Sanders is easier to handle," said Vice President and General Counsel Daniel Steiner '54. He also attributed the move to the number of extension school night classes scheduled in Emerson tonight.

Harvard police officers and security guards will be stationed at Sanders Theatre--the largest lecture hall on campus--and security will be tight. Officials will check for Harvard IDs.

Steiner said he expects no violence or other disruptions at the speech and protest. "Members of the Harvard community who plan to protest will do it in a way consistent with the rights of others to speak and to be heard," he said.

Students will be charged $2 to attend thelecture, and preferential seating will probably goto members of the three groups sponsoring theevent, BSA officials have said.

BSA President Art A. Hall '93 said he is gladthat more students will be able to hear Jeffriesspeak.

"Our effort is for people to be able to examineand ask questions about what Jeffries has to say,"Hall said.

At least five more undergraduate student groupsdecided yesterday to join the Harvard-RadcliffeHillel, Harvard Democrats and Bisexual, Gay andLesbian Students Association in protesting theJeffries speech.

The Asian American Association, Radcliffe Unionof Students, RAZA, South Asian Association andActively Working Against Racism and Ethnocentrismannounced that they will participate in a peacefulprotest at tonight's speech.

In addition, several outside groups will attendthe protest, according to J. Eliot Morgan '92, aCrimson editor whose clash with Jeffries and hisbodyguards during an interview drew widespreadmedia attention this fall. He said the JewishDefense League, the AIDS Coalition to UnleashPower (ACT-UP) and Hillel groups from otheruniversities will attend.

Morgan, who alleges that Jeffries threatenedhis life, said he will be protected tomorrow bymore than 10 bodyguards from the Jewish DefenseOrganization.

Hillel Coordinating Council Chair Shai A. Held'94, who has organized the protest, said he plansto ask two or three more groups to participate.

'No Refusals'

"At this point, we have received no refusals,"he said.

But the Catholic Students Association (CSA)decided during a special meeting last night toturn down Held's invitation to the take part inthe demonstration.

"Given the insufficient time and the inabilityto contextualize Jeffries' remarks, we feel it isunwarranted for the CSA to join Hillel," CSA VicePresident of Communication Kelly M. Bowdren '94said.

Leaders of the student groups who have decidedto join the protest stressed their disapproval ofwhat Held referred to as Jeffries' "hatefulviews."

"We basically agree that he's a racist," saidAsian American Association President Linda L. Wei'92, echoing the comments of several other studentleaders.

Held reiterated yesterday that the protest isdirected against Jeffries, "not the BSA or freedomof speech."

Students leaders could not estimate how manypeople will attend the protest, but a sizeablecrowd is expected.

Hillel distributed a two-page packet onJeffries' views last night to all students andprofessors.

Several faculty members have already spoken outstrongly against Jeffries. Thomson professor ofGovernment Martin L. Kilson submitted a letter toThe Crimson last night which sharply criticizedBSA's decision to invite Jeffries.

"Black students at Harvard and elsewhere muststand up against Jeffries' kind of moral rot,"Kilson wrote

Students will be charged $2 to attend thelecture, and preferential seating will probably goto members of the three groups sponsoring theevent, BSA officials have said.

BSA President Art A. Hall '93 said he is gladthat more students will be able to hear Jeffriesspeak.

"Our effort is for people to be able to examineand ask questions about what Jeffries has to say,"Hall said.

At least five more undergraduate student groupsdecided yesterday to join the Harvard-RadcliffeHillel, Harvard Democrats and Bisexual, Gay andLesbian Students Association in protesting theJeffries speech.

The Asian American Association, Radcliffe Unionof Students, RAZA, South Asian Association andActively Working Against Racism and Ethnocentrismannounced that they will participate in a peacefulprotest at tonight's speech.

In addition, several outside groups will attendthe protest, according to J. Eliot Morgan '92, aCrimson editor whose clash with Jeffries and hisbodyguards during an interview drew widespreadmedia attention this fall. He said the JewishDefense League, the AIDS Coalition to UnleashPower (ACT-UP) and Hillel groups from otheruniversities will attend.

Morgan, who alleges that Jeffries threatenedhis life, said he will be protected tomorrow bymore than 10 bodyguards from the Jewish DefenseOrganization.

Hillel Coordinating Council Chair Shai A. Held'94, who has organized the protest, said he plansto ask two or three more groups to participate.

'No Refusals'

"At this point, we have received no refusals,"he said.

But the Catholic Students Association (CSA)decided during a special meeting last night toturn down Held's invitation to the take part inthe demonstration.

"Given the insufficient time and the inabilityto contextualize Jeffries' remarks, we feel it isunwarranted for the CSA to join Hillel," CSA VicePresident of Communication Kelly M. Bowdren '94said.

Leaders of the student groups who have decidedto join the protest stressed their disapproval ofwhat Held referred to as Jeffries' "hatefulviews."

"We basically agree that he's a racist," saidAsian American Association President Linda L. Wei'92, echoing the comments of several other studentleaders.

Held reiterated yesterday that the protest isdirected against Jeffries, "not the BSA or freedomof speech."

Students leaders could not estimate how manypeople will attend the protest, but a sizeablecrowd is expected.

Hillel distributed a two-page packet onJeffries' views last night to all students andprofessors.

Several faculty members have already spoken outstrongly against Jeffries. Thomson professor ofGovernment Martin L. Kilson submitted a letter toThe Crimson last night which sharply criticizedBSA's decision to invite Jeffries.

"Black students at Harvard and elsewhere muststand up against Jeffries' kind of moral rot,"Kilson wrote