(The doors of the administration building opened for the first time since the demonstration started. Photo by Kyra Azore.)
The nine-day student sit-in at Howard University has ended. After more than a week of occupying the university’s administration building, student leaders and administration have agreed to eight of the original nine demands, which included adequate housing for all students under 21, addressing campus rape culture, and disarming campus police officers.
HU Resist leaders had originally called for university president Wayne A.I. Frederick’s resignation, but relented after negotiations.
There have been 8 days of negotiations, and we have been deliberating ways in which we can recenter our cause around the overall improvement of our institution instead of the elimination of one figure.That being said,we are no longer calling for the resignation of the president &
— #StudentPowerHU (@HUResist) April 6, 2018
As of Friday afternoon, students were moving out of the school’s administration building and posting reactions to the end of the sit-in.
Thank you to everyone who supported us. This is only the beginning. ✊?❤️ #StudentPowerHU
— #StudentPowerHU (@HUResist) April 6, 2018
A change has come. #StudentPowerHU pic.twitter.com/Pd7jEwD9th
— Quentin Mansfield (@QJMansfield) April 6, 2018
“Ain’t no power like student power ‘cause student power don’t stop!” #StudentPowerHU rally @HUResist pic.twitter.com/NQu23qQWLr
— Alexa Lisitza (@AlexaLisitza) April 5, 2018
Students finish their demonstration the same way they started, with Howard’s unofficial anthem “Swag Surf.” Their methods of protest were deemed too playful by some but have proven to be beneficial pic.twitter.com/SDpF9vztme
— Kyra E. Azore (@KyraAzore) April 6, 2018
We did it. It’s over. We won. Thank you all for supporting us. whoever donated, came out to support us in person, or even tweeted their support. The Kwame Ture Student Center will stand as a testament to what our community can be and what we have to work for it to become.
— #StudentPowerHU (@i_zay_a) April 6, 2018
Though the demonstration is over students still place sticky notes describing their experiments with university president, campus administration, police, housing and Title XI pic.twitter.com/OBHvDNR42r
— Kyra E. Azore (@KyraAzore) April 6, 2018
Students booed and sang “Nah nah nah goodbye” as university president left the final negotiation meeting.
Students boo and sing “Nah nah nah goodbye” as university president leaves the final negotiation meeting. pic.twitter.com/Orx7GyMvzr
— Kyra E. Azore (@KyraAzore) April 6, 2018