In December 1968, civil rights activist Stokely Carmichael visited UNC Charlotte to deliver a speech in the John Paul Lucas Room of the Cone University Center. He was invited to the campus by Students for ACTION (Active Committee for Truth, Individualism, Opportunity, Now). Carmichael had associations with organizations such as the Black Panther Party. 

Seen to the right is a page from the Stokely Carmichael Speech Transcript from December 1968. 

Similar to the Stokeley Carmichael speech, a vigil was held on campus on February 7, 1969. This vigil was a memorial service to commemorate the deaths of Delano Middleton, Samuel Hammond, and Henry Smith, who were victims of the Orangeburg Massacre. The civil rights activist Reginald A. Hawkins, along with UNC-C Students for ACTION, students led by Dr. Benjamin Chavis Jr., and Ronald Caldwell replaced the American Flag with a Black Flag. The flag was to be flown at half-mast from February 7th-9th. 

The university soon took this down; however, the Black Caucus UNC-C, which was the name for a large group of Black students at the time, did not give up on their protest. The Black Caucus UNC-C requested immediate replacement of the Black Flag but was denied. This was seen as a sign of disrespect from the university, which in turn, caused the formation of the Black Student Union. 

“Statement to the Press” from the Black students of UNC Charlotte requesting a Black Student Union

 Statement to the press from the Black Students of UNC Charlotte requesting the formation of the Black Student Union at the University. The faculty it was sent to included Dr. Colvard (Chancellor), Dr. Bonnie Cone (Vice Chancellor), and Dr. McEniry (Vice Chancellor). The Student Government Association (SGA) refused to recognize the Black Student Union as well. - 02/24/1969

On February 26, 1969, a letter outlining The Ten Demands was hand-delivered to Bonnie Cone, who served as the Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs. These demands, presented by Black students at UNC Charlotte, called for institutional changes to address racial inequalities on campus. In response, on February 28, 1969, Cone met privately with Dean W. McEniry, BSU representative Ben Chavis, and four other representatives from the Black Student Union and Black Caucus to discuss the demands. 

On March 3, 1969, members of the unofficially recognized Black Student Union formally requested written responses to the Ten Demands. McEniry refused, stating there was no "real authority" behind them. This refusal sparked one of the most significant student protests in UNC Charlotte’s history. Student legislators repeatedly rejected the demands, refusing to acknowledge the urgent concerns of Black students. 

A recorded interview with alumna and former BSU member Dorothy Dae details the difficulties the organization faced in working with the Student Government Association to get the demands approved. In response to the repeated denials, BSU members staged a protest outside, where Chavis read the demands aloud as students attempted to raise a black flag in defiance. The university responded by calling the police, leading to student arrests. None of the demands were supported, marking a pivotal moment in the fight for Black student rights at UNC Charlotte.

While all historical documents hold significance, one of the most crucial for the formation of the Black Student Union was the "Colvard Response." On March 20, 1969, Chancellor Dean Colvard issued a six-page document addressing the Ten Demands put forth by Black students. This letter outlined the university's initial steps toward change, including the commitment to offering courses related to Black Studies and increasing efforts to recruit Black students and faculty. As a result of these promises, the Department of Africana Studies was eventually established, marking a significant milestone in the university’s recognition of Black academic and cultural contributions. 

Shown to the right are two pages of the Colvard Response.