princeton: organizing histories
Princeton students have long been organizing to build power. Some have pushed against institutions to demand change, and others have created alternative spaces, from pressuring the administration to divest from corporations to providing for one another through mutual aid during the pandemic. This timeline highlights a contemporary history of organizing at Princeton, beginning in 2010. It does not comprehensively cover all organizing activities since then, but aims to be an ongoing archival project. Our work here is indebted to similar projects on campus, from the Carl Fields Center’s ‘Brave New Voices’ initiative to the Princeton Library’s archival resources. Organizing Stories’ undergraduate researchers have dived deeper into organizers’ stories for select entries, which you can view by clicking below or on the ‘Media’ tab at the top of this page.
“17 students stage a sit-in at nassau hall and occupy the office of shapiro’s administrative assistance to demand the establishment of Asian American and Latino Studies Programs.
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“formation of DREAM Team to campaign for immigration reform on campus and beyond, which organized students to join the rally for immigration reform in dc
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“protests emerged across the ivies, including princeton students, calling for divestment from HEI Hotels & Resorts
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“occupy princeton launch ‘occupy the info sessions’ campaign, disrupting goldman sachs and other wall street recruiters’ events
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“asian american students association submits proposal for asian american studies—begins process for developing asian american studies certificate
see carl a. fields center’s ‘brave new voices’ oral history project on the history of the fight to develop an asian american studies program at princeton
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“nine princeton students arrested for protesting keystone pipeline xl project in front of the white house
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“500-strong community march protesting israeli attacks on gaza—largest princeton protest in over a decade
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“black leadership coalition called for protest after mike brown’s murder
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“Seminary students from Association of Black Seminarians and the Community Action Network organize hundreds for a walk-out and die-in protesting jury verdict on Mike Brown
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“divestment saga
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“Black Justice League led the largest series of community actions in recent years in Princeton, raising demands for dismantling institutional racism. Hundreds of students staged a walk-out, die-in, and occupied the President’s office, drawing national attention.
see the daily princetonian’s three-part feature recapping this history:
“formation of Princeton Graduate Students United and beginning of the first push for unionization in recent history at Princeton
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“graduate women of color caucus, the black graduate caucus, among others stage protest in solidarity with standing rock protestors
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“hundreds rally to demand sanctuary policies from Princeton in solidarity with other campus actions nationally in the wake of trump’s election
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LaTanya Buck named inaugural Dean for Diversity and Inclusion (April 2015)
“Princeton Private Prison Divestment—a coalition of more than ten student groups—stages walk-out at university meeting to demand divestment from private prisons
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“Young Democratic Socialists (YDS) of Princeton organizes action with Campus Dining employees and shop stewards of SEIU Local 175 to demand over-time wages from the University for workers”
“first organized student response to campus workers’ rights since 2003: produced report and petition highlighting University’s unjust labor practices over the years to help with upcoming contract negotiations between University and workers
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“Hundreds of Princeton community members show up to counter white supremacist New Jersey European Heritage Association (NJEHA)’s planned rally.
njeha did not show up. ”
“princeton seminary students host town hall and demand reparations to black communities from the administration
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“Princeton Graduate Students United (PGSU) and the Young Democratic Socialists of Princeton (YDS) oppose new cuts in university’s healthcare plans for student workers
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“protests demanding reforms to Princeton’s Title IX process for survivors of sexual harassment and assault
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“Students for Prison Education, Abolition, and Reform (SPEAR) and other student groups launch the ‘Ban the Box’ campaign, calling to eliminate conviction history question on undergraduate admission applications
check out thomas coulouras’ write-up on this campaign, and Kimberly cross’ interview with SPEAR organizer chris butcher on his personal journey as a student abolitionist
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“hundreds participate in princeton’s climate strike
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“Formation of Divest Princeton; presentation of open letter to President Eisgruber to divest from fossil fuels. see anika asthana’s interview with divest organizer anna hiltner below
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“protests against new ‘double sights’ memorial of woodrow wilson’s legacy on campus; over 200 community members attended
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“formation of princeton mutual aid (pma), which provided essential items to communities in need during the COVID-19 pandemic in the princeton area
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“protests in the wake of george floyd and breonna taylor’s murders
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