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May 22, 1993

Political activist, author and teacher Angela Davis spoke at the Baccalaureate Service of the college’s 127th commencement, an annual pre-graduation event sponsored by the Council of Black Seniors. Davis, a professor of history and philosophy at the University of California at Santa Cruz, spoke of the political changes in the United States. “During the Reagan-Bush years,” she said, “there was a great deal of hopelessness and despair. When the Reagan-Bush reign was overthrown, a lot of us felt we had a new lease on life…. The good news is we have created new space. The good news is that it is possible to forge a measure of hope.” In conclusion, she implored the standing-room-only audience to “address each other’s differences with respect.”

The Poughkeepsie Journal

The Years