Center for Multicultural Affairs records, 1968-2025

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Restrictions:
Access restricted. Collection includes materials from the Duke University Board of Trustees. Records of the University's Board of Trustees which have been in existence for at least fifty years are...
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Summary

Creator:
Duke University. Center for Multicultural Affairs, Duke University. Office of Black Affairs, Duke University. Office of Intercultural Affairs, Duke University. Office of Minority Affairs, and Duke University. University Archives
Abstract:
The Center for Multicultural Affairs began as the Office of Black Affairs in 1969 to address the needs of the African American student population at Duke University. As the Center for Multicultural Affairs, the department's mission is to foster a welcoming environment, support all students in becoming engaged members of the Duke community, and to promote community engagement. The collection contains a variety of administrative materials, including reports, correspondence, minutes and programs, documenting the directives and activities of the Office of Black Affairs, the Office of Minority Affairs, the Office of Intercultural Affairs, and the Center for Multicultural Affairs. Also included are materials pertaining to the Summer Transitional Program, which was established in 1969 and managed by the Office of Minority Affairs.
Extent:
23 Linear Feet
Language:
Material in English.
Collection ID:
UA.09.08.0001
University Archives Record Group:
09 -- Student Affairs
09 -- Student Affairs > 08 -- The Center for Multicultural Affairs

Background

Scope and content:

Materials in the collection include administrative records, correspondence, curricula, reports, memoranda, minutes, course schedules, statistics, handbooks, newsletters, financial information, photographs, programs, scrapbooks, and other materials from the Office of Black Affairs, the Office of Minority Affairs, the Office of Intercultural Affairs, and the Center for Multicultural Affairs. Contains administrative files, audiovisual and digital materials, and photographs from the Center of Multicultural Affairs related to its work with Duke student groups including Black Student Alliance and Mi Gente.

Biographical / historical:

The Center for Multicultural Affairs began as the Office of Black Affairs in 1969 to address the needs of the African American student population at Duke University. The Office of Black Affairs was created soon after the Afro-American Society students led a Black student takeover of the Allen Building to spark University action on the concerns of Black students. The core mission of the Office of Black Affairs was to provide outreach to Black students to facilitate rapid involvement with the university community through mentorship programs, financial aid, academic counseling and tutoring, and the development of Black Studies courses. The Summer Transitional Program (STP) was one of the ten demands students made to the University after the Allen Building occupied. STP was designed as an Office of Black Affairs program to facilitate the students' transition from the secondary level to the demands of the university level. With the original goal of decreasing the attrition rate of Black students by raising the level of academic performance and introducing the students to the social structures of Duke University. In the early 1970's, the focus of STP changed to assist all students in their transition to university life.

Under some controversy, the Office of Black Affairs was changed to the Office of Minority Affairs in 1978. While the name had changed, the core mission of the office remained the same, which was to provide an organizational structure through which Black participation in the University and local communities obtained the greatest degree of effectiveness.

In 1993, the Office of Minority Affairs was renamed the Office of Intercultural Affairs. As the Office of Intercultural Affairs the mission became focused on identifying needs and assisting with changes in the Duke University community which promoted growth and development for African American, Asian American, Latino American, and Native American students.

In 2002, the Office of Intercultural Affairs became the Center for Multicultural Affairs (CMA) with a mission to foster a welcoming environment, to support all students in becoming engaged members of the Duke community, and to promote community engagement and learning across identities, perspectives, and lived experiences.

Acquisition information:
The Center for Multicultural Affairs records were received by the University Archives as a transfer from 1977-2025.
Processing information:

Processed by Mary Samouelian, October 2007

Encoded by Mary Samouelian, November 2007

Updated by Molly Bragg, August 2011

Accessions 77-199, 85-50, A91-68, A91-117, A94-107, A96-36, A98-22, UA2005-0047, UA2011-0023 were merged into one collection, described in this finding aid.

Conditions governing access notes updated by April Blevins, December 2023

Accession UA2025-0038 added and finding aid updated by April Blevins, September 2025

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Contents

Using These Materials

Using These Materials Links:

Using These Materials

Restrictions:

Access restricted. Collection includes materials from the Duke University Board of Trustees. Records of the University's Board of Trustees which have been in existence for at least fifty years are available for scholarly research with the permission of the University Archivist. Access to records which have been in existence for less than fifty years shall be granted only by special permission, in writing, from the Board of Trustees. Contact Research Services for more information.

Access restricted. Collection contains Duke University administrative materials. For a period of twenty-five years from the origin of the material, permission in writing from the office of origin and the University Archivist is required for use of administrative records. After twenty-five years, records that have been processed may be consulted with the permission of the University Archivist. Contact Research Services for more information.

Access restricted. Some materials in this collection are personnel records. Records pertaining to employment where individuals are identified are closed for 70 years.

Access restricted. Some materials in this collection include student records. In accordance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 as amended, Duke University permits students to inspect their education records and limits the disclosure of personally identifiable information from education records. Contact Research Services for more information.

Access note. Some materials in this collection are original audiovisual items that may need to be reformatted before use. Contact Research Services for access.

Access note. Some materials in this collection are electronic records that need to be reformatted. Access copies of electronic records require special equipment. Contact Research Services for access.

Terms of access:

Copyright for Official University records is held by Duke University; all other copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

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Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Center for Multicultural Affairs Records, Duke University Archives, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.

Permalink:
https://idn.duke.edu/ark:/87924/m1qt36