CIA PLANS MEETING WITH BLACKS
Document Type:
Collection:
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST):
CIA-RDP80-01601R000400070001-3
Release Decision:
RIPPUB
Original Classification:
K
Document Page Count:
6
Document Creation Date:
November 17, 2016
Document Release Date:
July 27, 2000
Sequence Number:
1
Case Number:
Publication Date:
February 25, 1972
Content Type:
NSPR
File:
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
CIA-RDP80-01601R000400070001-3.pdf | 512.45 KB |
Body:
PRESS TIME RELEASE
Representatives of the Central In-
telligence Agency, Including two
black agents, planned to meet with
students'at 4 o'clock this afternoon
at the Oberlin Inn In an effort to re-
'eruit `black students for employment
within the agency.
At press time, it was uncertain as
to whether or not the proposed meet-
ing would take place, due to efforts
to protest the presence of the CIA.
The CIA. will not conduct their dis-
cussions If this group Is "truly
vehemently opposed" to the CIA
sessions, Hal Payne, assistant dean
of students said, thus denying those
who had signed up .for interviews
"the right of free speech."
Last week black juniors and sen-
iors received through the campus
'mail a letter notifying them of the
CIA's presence in Oberlin. The let-
ter, dated February 18, 1972, was
from Assistant Dean of Students Hal
Payne, who made arrangements for
the meeting as the principle liaison
with the CIA representatives.
The letter' explained that the CIA,
as an Equal Opportunity Employer.
is participating in an all-government
drive to recruit more minority group
citizens into the different organs of
the government, and according to
Mr. Payne's letter "Oberlin came to
their attention because of the nation-
wide publicity given our Black Cau-
cus admissions and recruitment pro-
gram. They feel that Oberlin will be
attracting the kind of black students
who would be of interest to the
agency."
The general student body was not
notified of the agency's presence. Al-
though the Office of Placemen, and
Graduate Counseling (OPGC) and
Office of the Provost have known of
the agency's efforts to establish a
meeting with students since October
1971 when a CIA representative first
approached OPGC with the proposal,
no general publicity was given in the
past months to the meeting today.
The session at the Inn today was
lowing the CIA on campus. Akhough
there was a decidedly negative re-
sponse to the CIA as an institution,
no formal plan of action was decided
upon other than for black individuals
J. Byron Crosman, a member of Dorothy Smith, director of OPGC, No attempt a all-campus ,publicity
the CIA whARpr6veidtaFotitE~, see2Q601f~8 6 .1441RY~PftnO'f 0 qQQ Mt 0001-3
tin after having-visited his son, a guidelines formally established for
the barring of any particular insti-
student here, spoke in confidence in
the fall with Associate Provost Wil-.
Liam Davis to discuss the proposal.
for a? CIA meeting with students
which was accepted by a "collective
en:-a?-of Mr. Davis, Mr. Payne, and
George Langeler, dean of students.
Meeting off-campus
Although Mr. Crosman wished to
hold the meeting in Afro House, Mr.
Davis felt that "it would be better
for. all concerned" to hold the ses-
sion in the technically off-campus
Inn.
The administration bypassed the
usual O P G C procedure,, and co-
ordinated the special meeting today
through Mr. Payne's ? office. The
deans insisted, however, that the CIA
is just another government agency,
and the procedure in this case was
according to Mr. Langeler, "in no
way unusual." However, the last
government agencies to recruit in
Oberlin, the Internal Revenue Serv-
ice, and the Social Security Bureau,
held their interviews directly through
OPGC.
Desire to communicate
Mr. Davis said yesterday that the
agency's intent in coming to Ober-
lin lay in a sincere desire to com-
municate with students, and a wish
to explain opportunities for careers
for black students within the CIA.
Three or four students have evinced
an interest in this regard. He" added
that "there is something more here
for the CIA than just a recruiting
process."
Mr. Davis explained that although
the College could have refused all
co-operation with the CIA, such a
policy would not have been effective
in keeping the agency actually out of
Oberlin. Asserting that fears about
newly-recruited student agents hired
tution of ? employment," including
the Central Intelligence Agency, or
even, she added, the Navy recruiters.
The campus demonstration of 1968
concerning military recruiters on
campus left no written agreement
or even tacit understanding of any
barring, she said.
Verbal confrontation
Mr. Davis said' that allowing the
CIA to come to Oberlin would' give
"students an opportunity to verbally
confront the CIA." In the case of
black students, he added, thi's con-.
frontation could be especially en-
lightening in view of the CIA's al-
leged involvement in the suppression
of the African national liberations
movements."
The College did not invite the CIA
to come here, but as long as they
have come, it shouldn't be a ques-
tion of not permitting them to pre-
sent their stjand, Mr. Langeler said.
Mr. Davis. hoped. many students
would pose questions to deal with
the reality and image of the agency,
for example, with the CIA's role in
black societies in this country and
around the world. It is an oppor-
tunity, he said, for blacks to criti-
cally review their roles in dealing.
with a police power.
Students change CIA?
The discussion will also present
alternatives to the students, accord-
ing to Mr. Davis, and considering
that the "CIA doesn't hesitate to in-
groups like the Black Pan-
filtrate
thers and Students for a Democratic
Society, to subvert them,' there's no
reason that radical Oberlin students
can't join the CIA to try to change
its course."
The black students on campus dis-
cussed the issue at the last meeting
of ABUSUA and agreed with Mr.
not say with certainty that the CIA
recruiters have not been here al-
ready." The CIA has not held for-
mal interviews. in Oberlin for at
least five years.
iiOV 971
Approved For Release 2000/08/16: Id-RDP80-01601R000400070001-3
STATINTL
Cmilbridg; P_`nss.
hr:e.t: fits: With the exposure of the pa T?crs f on! the Media,
Pa. ITI o;:icc last. the invest} ati; n of Army'serveil-
lance 2ciivitis, ?s,d' 0t;~dly the I:ublic'.tion of the }'CRta oa
?y' '),. O1-'.l11%l',y to
I'a}>:;rs, the public. ]l:ls had an u _,-::alh, ' ,(d o,
the .
tl]tCiBlstaIiCl ~e Sittll}:1-Lt)' of the t0?'ul"^ 'IZd
d.o!11est!i Cr%\ert Rctioil pu,;ram`. The most so1)htste-at`ecl
arm of the U.S. secret. r.grntry--lit CIA. hey ever,
escaped public scrutlily unti}. last month. Now m jor )
cxce rjpts from P. secret document yvh ch details the. CIA's
global stmtcf ;s have been made public. Tic complete text
.of the document, "1iitc}li'cnc.i cud I?o e.i 1-1 Policy," to";etller
.ttith an intro:.t,ti.tion other of the CIA's activi-
ties is available for ?P'1 (p}us 25 for posh, e and hau tliu;;)
from to Africa ]?cscarcii Group, P.O. Pox 213, Ca:mbrid e,
Irlass. 021?1:, Africa .f cearc)r Group
Approved For Release 2000/08/16 : CIA-RDP80-01601 R000400070001-3
Approved For Release 2000/ 1A (MBEM-0f01R000
AFRICAN STUDIES IN AMERICA
THE EXTENDED FAMILY
OCTOBER 1970
STATINTL
Governmen+t NetworK
.
. r
the U.S. governmen
eriod
,
wa
= As the American empire expanded in the post P one piece p
branches
By ent
the various
created and staffed an immenseecnetwork for urit Act ofd1947,.the of
al S Y
artm
d D
ep
of legislation, the Nation
were placed under a centralize
the military, and new Air Force,
of Defense with the power to draft in peacetime. The Act also formed the
l Security Council (NSC) and gave unprecedented powers to a Central
l funded agencies erected the
Nationa
se wel
Intelligence Agency (CIA). Together the `a aratus of the Empire: instruments for lexica?se heralded collection
ta th military
e status.
PP
d the backbone o
that forme
intervention
what;.-
. know j.
to
nt's ability
governme
ower depends in no small part on the a doin
world are planning g-
t
h
p
a
e
t
eople and other governments throughout
pe Committee on Foreign Relations observed in a study t e
n policy.tf American policy abroad
As the Senate c
F
re
U
o
g
..,there is no country in the world whose changing litical
licy." Keeping tabs on the internal Po
is irrelevant to U.S. foreign po _ country in the world is a vast and delicate
enCi rprise+..
enterprise. Its maintanence is essential behalf
events and covertly intervene when necessary on the Empire's .
i
ical
t
----h and intelligence
The Central Intelligence Agency performed the cr
vast network of interlinked researc
cial
o
h
e
ating t
coordin
ing and spent $33.3 million for s
1967
deral
In
F
h
,
e
e
1909, t
agencies. In
a foreign areas and international affairs.
~_a s~e~rr}- that
i
n ---- abroad..
the same government agencies spent $40.b million
?!drew on virtually every major academic center in the nation and many
r--c+;nn of what it takes to keep the Intelligence
ove
_.__ _
anew 1 each of
alive. Moreover, su ort secret research
and Defense Agencies these g
the Defense agencies and the intelligence community-- PP
for which figures are not available.
research
red
''on Africa receives from U.S. government-sponso
actual attend
The
eater than the figures lead us to believe. In 1969, only 110of all
i
s gr
ed To -
the government research funds allocat directly
;,- research on Euroe,
v
elop
well, ntext.
isolated from the larger international co
and Africa's economic underde
for example, has to consider Africa as
the context of
differentca
a
hed in
under
'ment is often researc is often hidden
ch about Africa
resear
problems. In this way, names.
it es of U.S. Federal agencies _clearly illustrate how an imperialist.
to farm its varied strateg-
__~i
v
government collet6~ a=- ~??- - degrees of bureaucra
tic
ies of intervention. The scope of the researc an action
cut by these agencies, which ae o coordinated-wih formidable UtSvimpact on Africa countrie
efficiency s..
?' present a picture
Approved For Release,2000108/16 CIA-RDP80-01601 R000400070001-3
boatinue4
AFRICA RESFABCS GROUP
Approved For Release 2000/08/16 : CIA- DP80-01601 R00040007000
STATINTL
Throughout the world, revolutionaries are studying the strategies
and tactics of their central enemy: US imperialism. They realize that
in order to defeat a powerful but not 6rM ipotent foe, some detailed
understanding of the ways the US Empire works is necessary. While
US capital dominates and distorts the economies of its colonies,
agencies such as the CIA work to manipulate political developments
to favor US interests. The exposure of the'CIA's work was not only
a set-back for US manipulators, it has also been instructive to
radicals in the white mother country in revealing the outlines of
a sophisticated strategy for social control.
For the CIA, there has never been any real distinction between its
intelligence (i.e., information-gathering) and its action functions,
Tn target countries--virtually the entire Third World--the CIA staff
is integrated into a coordinated "multi-agency country team," often
in leadership positions. Its operatives often direct the overall
thrust of US penetration into the target country, seeking to. fashion
a 'strategy of "cumulative impact," The idea. is simple: create or re-
inforce pro-Western institutions which individually might not suffice
but which cumulatively control the country's economic and political
direction. Towards this end, CIA-funded scholars such as those at
M.I.T. have worked to rationalize foreign aid as a pol.cy weapon.
A network of organizations--teachers, students, cultural, trade union,
etc.-mwere founded or covertly subsidized through various conduits.
Many of these sought to coopt important African leaders and act as
channels of US influence. .
-This article, first published in Ramparts and reprinted in the
Black Panther newspaper and elsewhere, spotlights the way the CIA
has promoted black cultural nationalism to reinforce neo-colonialism
in Africa. Activists in the black colony.within the US can easily
see its relevance to their ot?m situation, as in many cases the same
techniques and occasionally the same individuals are used to control
the political implications of Afro.-American culture. It reveals how
reactionary nationalism can serve imperialism while revolutionary
nationalism represents a threat to the US Empire,
Approved For Release 2000/08/16 : CIA-RDP80-01601 R000400070001-3
Approved For Release 2000/08/16 CIA-RDP80-01601 R000400070001-3
Among the organizations disclosed as CIA-connected by various news
papers and magazines have been the following: STUDENT: National Stu-
dent Association, International Student Conference, World Assembly of
Youth, Institute of International Education, African, Scholarship Pro-
grain of American Universities, TEACHER: W.I.G.T.O.P. TRADE UNION:
African-American Labor Center, various secretariats connected i-rith the
International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, CULTURAL: Congress
of Cultural Freedom, American Society of African Culture, East African
Institute of Social. and Cultural Affairs, GENERAL: African-American
Institute, Peace with Freedom Inc., Jomo Kenyatta Foundation, 1M1ilton
Obote Foundation, Kenneth Kaunda Foundation, The US remains involved
in channelling money to various factions within southern African lib-
eration movements, hoping of course to mold them in pro-Western direc..
Lions. (See The Politics of Unite by I, Wallerstein,)
ERRATUM: Writing about the CIA is always hazardous; records are unw
available and the CIA deliberately leaks what it calls "disinformation"
to cover its tracks and confuse its eneinies, The CIA's own attempts
at political camouflage are aided inadvertently by many principled
liberals and even radicals. The liberals are so preoccupied with the
odiousness of the CIA's secrecy that they often miss entirely the
political purposes of the Agency. Radicals have often resorted to
unanaly4;ical mucrraking or rhetorical CIA.--baiting which obscures the
real game and, occasionally, assists the CIA in its chars cteristic
strategy of heightening inter-.group tensions within radical movements.
Our own factual check of the Ramparts article has unearthed some minor
errors in detail which in no way discredit its argument:
1. The height, birth date and facial appearance of James Harris are
misrepresented.
2. Harris worked for the N.S.A. and W.U.S. before they received CIA
subsidies; he stayed:on as consultants to both, however, while they
were heavily CIA--backed,
3. The CIA's Foundation for Youth and Student Affairs was not headed
by Amory Houghton, President of Corning Glass, but rather by Arthur
Houghton, a Director of Corning Glass.
4, The article gives the erroneous impression that the American Negro
Leadership Conference was completely CIA-backed. It was not. The
ANLC received most of its funding from "clean" liberal sources,
.5, ANLC Director Todd Brown was not from AMSAC but from a trade union,
6,. The CIA's international trade union program did not channel'most
of its money through the ICFTU directly; instead several ICFTU-.aff.il-
i.ated secretariats were used, including, but'not exclusively, the PSI,
The PSI representative in East Africa in the period discussed in the
article. was also working for the ICFTU,
--Africa Research Group
Approved For Release 2000/08/16 : CIA-RDP80-01601 R000400070001-3
0
HUMAN EYEN..U
Approved For Release'2000/08/16 : CIA-RDP80-01601R000400
2 0 JUN 1970
Ii How~o;=!
disarm them without endangering the.
free institutions 'enjoyed by every American.
would you believe it lies in.South Africa?
Nathaniel Weyl's new book, Traitors End, is the first fact-by-fact
,:
account of the rise and fall of the Communist movement in =
South Africa. Weyl reveals how the tactics used by the Reds were chillingly similar;
to today's revolutionary activities in America. But the big surprise: Rhodesia and- : :
South Africa defeated the Communists - by a strategy that stamps out reuolutio
l freedom!
ti
i
ona
tu
without destroying const
? ~_:__ :_ .,R Ohs fair
FIRST IT WAS mushrooming crime. Then.
0~t' = street and campus riots. Now, open attacks
.on our legal system, and terrorist bombings.
Our leaders look the other way. Or wonder.
how they can spend another ten billion dollars.
Or reach for the old cliches that even some lib-
erals are beginning to question. -
Meanwhile the plain American looks at this
breakdown of order and asks himself : can the
their differences and despite our shabby treat-
American system survive? How?
Until this book, it never occurred to most of
us to turn toward southern Africa. Why should
we? We are not South Africa, or Portugal, or
Rhodesia.
Yet these nations-friends of America despite
were moving in for the kill.
i
Afore than one million blacks move into
b
In the 50s and early 60s. the South African
Reds were a major menace. Working through., w UN'brands
winschesiafa "threat to Goldberg,
tthe African National Congress and other fronts.., flonal ~~
.. enjoying support from Bantus. Coloureds. w Churchill's little-known warning about the
Indians and white Liberals. . . backed by Russia. ' "black peril" in South Africa.
the Afro-Asian bloc and JFK, the Communists ,- "Lord Bunting, Imperialist Bloodsucker."
of this challenging new book. Ethiopia.
,
stitutions, but he does show where we can ]earn Lens? Rhodesian statistics on black education
from their successful tactics. That is the subject compared with those of Liberia, Tanzania,
I
-a
, Does Rhodesia really neglect its black citi-
W-1 doesn't claim we should imitate their in- +
areas in the world where the revolutionaries _
are losing.
Why they are losing ... how they are being
beaten - these are facts we desperately need. ,
And that is why Nathaniel Weyl wrote this
book: to show America and the West how to-
win - without giving up our republican form of
government, due process, and an independent -
judiciary.
Nathaniel Weyl travelled widely in South
CLAA-p
self. Result: the only book of its kind. It brims =
with data never before published in this country:
Angolan terrorists cut their victims in half
ve something to- tell us. Nathaniel I Adlai Stevenson defends the terrorists.
oom-
Yet today South Africa is strong and
!( ing. Rhodesia has passed through the worst of South Africa illegally - to get in on a little of
&to
and Washington. Angola and Mozambique are r Liberals' cast South Africa as "Pro-Nazi."
slowly beating back the terrorists. It Is an 1i1 But South Africa tears VP the script, backs
Approved For Release 2000/08/16': CIA-ROP80-01 01 R000400070001-3
0 fn Al