Washington and Lee integrated in the late 1960s in the midst of a turbulent social climate. The first African-American to matriculate, Dennis Haston, matriculated in 1966 but did not graduate from the university. Two years later, Walter Blake and Carl Smothers entered the Class of 1968 and became the first African-Americans to receive degrees from the university. Blake and several close friends established the Student Association for Black Unity (SABU) in 1971, and Blake served as the club’s first president.
Through grassroots efforts over the next decade, SABU succeeded in growing its numbers and raising awareness on campus for African-American culture through hosting Black Culture Weekend and the Black Ball. After staging a sit-in at President Huntley’s office and multiple other efforts, SABU received university funding to bring in influential speakers to help raise awareness.
The club, however, faced a considerable amount of adversity. Huntley and the administration had difficulty attracting African-American students to the school, and the club (and African-American students in general) struggled to establish strong degrees of comfort and respect from the university community. Still, African-American students, most of whom joined SABU, found unity through the organization, and the organization continued to grow and continues to play a vital role in shaping the African-American student experience.