Amazing Film Shows 1968 College Students Arguing Then Black Students Walk Out

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Published 2018-06-20

This is an incredible filmed sequence where we recorded a meeting which took place at the University of Illinois in the spring of 1968. Student political leaders, radicals, administrators and professors as well as people from the “community” were invited to speak together live on national television. Seeing conversations with no editing on national television was and in my view still is, amazingly real. Raw. Even though people were aware that they were being filmed, they presented themselves and how they felt as best they could. I was just a cameraman but I could see and feel the reality.

As this clip shows, communication between the groups who were there proved difficult and at the end, most attendees felt that little was accomplished. Somewhat reminiscent of today I would say. Sad.

Many have commented about this debate ( the attendees did not see this as a debate but merely as a chance to express their points of view and hear the points of view of others) and how we could not have a similar debate today as the country is so fractured. My remembrance is that back in 1968, the country was fractured, possibly as fractured as we seem to be today, at the end of 2022. I can specifically remember people attending Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners with their families and finding it unable to go through the ceremonies because the subject of Vietnam or race relations came up and caused people to fight with such passion that a family celebration turned into a yelling match.

Also remember that this kinescope recording was taking place shortly before a segment of Black Americans came to support the Black Panther Party who expressed a Malcolm X point of view that violence would be necessary to achieve justice as they saw it.

If you found this presentation of value/interest I asked you to click the Super Thanks button below the video screen to the right. Your support allows me to keep on going back to my archive to find more clips of potential meaning to viewers today.
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David Hoffman filmmaker

All Comments (21)

@DavidHoffmanFilmmaker 2 years ago

Another film from the 1960s-1970s revealing how police saw what they were doing during difficult riots etc. https://youtu.be/PcU6WozmSHY David Hoffman filmmaker
@Celtic_Iron 3 years ago

Back when students in their 20s looked 35+
@kl56tjy98 3 years ago

This doesn't make sense. There is no moderator and they are still waiting for each other to finish their sentence! I don't believe this is real!
@rudy7759 2 years ago

“The fact that this discussion hasn’t gotten anywhere is a testament to how deep the problem is”
@JamieHitt 2 years ago

This is the longest cigarette commercial I have ever seen.
@simply_exploring 3 years ago

back when debates didn’t sound like a sitcom.
@mikeandrews9944 3 years ago

"it is foolish to speak to someone who is not listening" -someone wiser than me
@anashe11 2 years ago

I think this comment section is misunderstanding the fact that these students were aware their debate and entire conversation would be broadcasted nationally. Of course this is not representative of the everyday average classroom back then. I strongly strongly encourage you to attend a university debate event in today’s time because you’ll see our brilliant thinkers like these students today. Don’t get bogged down comparing this university’s absolute best to the typical debates and conversations going on today. I promise you there were idiots back then just like there are today the same way there were and still are brilliant and critical thinking minds. If anything we need to bring back this national broadcasting of University student debates to help ensure the smartest voices in academia today are heard over the noise of popularity online.
@djm4854 2 years ago

I kept trying to figure out who the heck Diggett was...then I realized it was a DIG IT catchphrase. How 60s. LOLOLOL
@realSimoneCherie 3 years ago

No moderator? Active listening? I’ll be damned. 🧐
@fafolaw 2 years ago

I like how these 30-year-old teenagers are respectfully discussing serious issues while smoking a cigar at their University
@bigblue6065 2 years ago

Nobody: Students in the 60s: puffs cigarettes "Let's get down to facts here!"
@BlackFlagHeathen 1 year ago

It’s genuinely depressing how we can’t have a discussion like this these days, and yet we’re still having literally this exact same discussion.
@djinngeist114 3 years ago

No matter what the subject or issues, seeing people actually hold a conversation is beautiful.
@masonbricke4568 2 years ago

This is the most civil race discussion I've seen in years.
@boosterbrosllc4681 2 years ago

I watched the whole thing and I have no clue what they are arguing about but I like their passion
@arizonarangershat3831 2 years ago

David Hoffman’s channel is the most informative and educational YouTube channel on the platform. I love his videos.
@timothya2742 3 years ago

Was 5 yrs old when this conversation took place. Almost 60 now and the conversation continues
@scorpion7206 3 years ago

I could smell the smoke through my screen
@ashleighsalinas8526 2 years ago

It's fascinating, seeing older generations in their prime and talking about some of the very issues we still talk about and grapple with today. We do things differently but with the same general goal.