Harpur College/SUNY Binghamton 1967 College Yearbook (Binghamton, NY) - Full Access

Aptheker Talks to 1,300; 1 Appearance Criticized : Many Applaud, 1 Heckles 1 H a r I e y H. Earle, Sr., of Quaker Lake, founder of an or- ganjzation called TACT About Civil Turmoil) is nating secretary of a ne1.v>1~1"'!!• By BOB DOLAN Dr. Herbert Aptheker, a his- torian and Communist, drew applause and sometimes laugh- ter last night as he discussed American Negro history and countered the mockery of a woman in the audience. Dr. Aptheker spoke before about 1,300 persons in the Har- pur College gymnasium. Though the audience included a delegation of uniformed American Legionaires and a !group of protest pickets who had checked their signs at po- llee request, there was no other heckling. Dr. Aptheker was guarded by two plainclothes sheriff's depu- ties starting with his arrival at ·the Harpur campus. He never confronted the pickets posted by Young Americans for Freedom to protest his pres~nce. DR. APTHEKER'S talk con- Dr. Herbert Aptheker tained few references to com- I .,. at press conference. l rr.unism or Marxism. It was an academic treatment of Ne- of scientific Negro historiogra- gro history, a subject on which lphy." 1ne has published 16 books. Dr. Aptheker criticized white The applause seemed to come writers of American history for I mostly from s~dents and fac~- "two great sins, omission and tv members, some of whom m- commission." ·dicated in conversation that He criticized Henry s tee 1 e they resented. the off-campus Commager, one of the most pressures agamst Dr· Apthe- prominent American historians ker's appearance. for failing to include " a sing!~ Dr. Aptheker was mtroduced word written or spoken by a Ne- by Edward N. Wilson, Jr., asso- gro" in his book, ' 'Documents of ciate professor of art. American History." Glancing around the nearly- The speaker said Mr. Com- f i 11 e d gymnasium bleacher mager's book was "clearly mis- seats, Dr. Aptheker got a laugh titled - it should be "Docu- lwh•n ::.:~::;:~-i~~:~~~ uful Objections on moral grounds to the forthcoming visit of Communist theorist Herbert Aptheker may be unfound- ed, a letter to The Press says. "It is most unlikely that an admittedly Communist speaker will 'flaunt his allegiance to a foreign power.' If he does, be is likely to go over like a lead balloon and serve as a salutary antidote . . .' ' without any protest from him." began Dr. Aptheker. Again, Mrs. 1 "White chauvinism views the Brooks laughed. Negro as a people with no his- "Perhaps I should cor r e c t l tory - mimics, clowns, beasts that. It invokes hysterical laugh- ' and monsters-as a people toter," the speaker said. He drewl . ~h~m. thin~s ~pened." D~aughter an~onl:me~> tr"'"' n."l 'Watts Was Glorious, . .. In Right Context' Did Dr. Herbert Aptheker, Communist theore- called WATCHA. That stands for Warn the tician, say in a recent speech that "Watts was ~lor-_._. ....... ...,.._~!!'!!!!!!!!!! :;·g fiqg! ::t:oq:e,..o ....·· ('I) rn" :::sl§.' NON-APPLAUDERS- Disapproving contingent of American legionnaires ~ 5; ~,....~ .!"" is among Dr. Aptheker's listeners. legion had criticized Communist's ap- i5: ... m. ["" ~. ::r8.o.. ::s~ pearance on state campus. ... "" ~ ..... o.. o cr ':< ... ... E. - ':!P.