Cornel West lends support to Princeton protest by black student group

Supporters range from prominent activist Cornel West to faculty members and alumni

UPDATE: Princeton U. concedes some of students' demands, report says

PRINCETON -- The dozens of Princeton University students who have taken over Nassau Hall demanding better treatment of black students have gained some important allies -- from prominent activist Cornel West to faculty members and alumni.

The demonstrators, organized by the Black Justice League group, have urged the university to acknowledge what they say is the racist legacy of former school president and U.S. President Woodrow Wilson and rename buildings and programs named for Wilson.

RELATED: Princeton U. sit-in by black students grows on second day

They also demanded that staff and faculty be trained in cultural competency, classes on the "history of marginalized peoples" be required and a cultural space on campus be dedicated to black students.

On Thursday, West, a former Princeton professor who left in 2011, told students sitting in the university president's office by phone that he was behind them.

Lawrence Hamm, chairman of the People's Organization for Progress, said the organization supports the students at Princeton and campuses across the country who are protesting racism, injustice and inequality.

"These students need and deserve the support of people of conscience everywhere," he said in a statement. "We ask all concerned to call the Princeton University president's office and voice support for the students' demands and request that the administration take no action against these students for their act of conscience and that all of them be given amnesty."

I support the student sit-in and student protests at Princeton University and I urge everyone to do the same. pic.twitter.com/Zq21NNN9TJ

-- Lawrence Hamm (@hamm_lhamm1953) November 19, 2015

The Rev. William Barber, president of the North Carolina NAACP and founder of the Moral Mondays movement, was on campus Wednesday night for a lecture and took part in the sit-in.

"I went over to not be in the cameras but to simply, first of all, thank them for standing up for what they believe, challenging institutional disparity and racism on this campus," Barber told The Daily Princetonian, the student newspaper. "It was powerful to see such a diverse room. ... I asked them to hold their space and, you know, everybody can't do everything -- but do what you can do. And then I went in, as an elder, to say we're with you, we support you, stand strong. Stand with integrity."

"If you go to class but ignore structural inequality, you have not learned. You've been brainwashed" -William Barber pic.twitter.com/f4lROAkOZD

-- Naimah Hakim (@NaimahHakim) November 18, 2015

Ruth Simmons, a former Princeton dean who later became the first black president of Brown University in 2001, also spoke to the protesters after delivering a lecture on "Confronting a Tainted Legacy: Slavery and Justice at Brown University."

Ruth Simmons, first black Ivy League pres, talking with pton protestors inside now. Students pitching tents outside. #StudentBlackOut

-- Ally Markovich (@allymarkovich) November 19, 2015

Professors in the African American Studies department, who provided pizza to the students, have also shown their support on Twitter.

& in case previous tweet made it unclear. I fully support our student protestors. They're raising their voices 4a better Princeton & world.

-- Imani Perry (@imaniperry) November 19, 2015

What student protests have highlighted is we have to confront Wilson's legacy & tie that to responding to ongoing campus issues & inequity.

-- Imani Perry (@imaniperry) November 19, 2015

This is not a time to be settled in our positions and ways of doing. Everyone must be open to transformation.

-- Imani Perry (@imaniperry) November 19, 2015

People are morally complex. Always have been. But that isn't a sufficient response to the legacy of evils that continue to shape our lives

-- Eddie S. Glaude Jr. (@esglaude) November 19, 2015

Woodrow Wilson: only the "great Ku Klux Klan, a veritable empire of the south" saved white men #studentblackout pic.twitter.com/v5cxG9UXiF

-- Wendy Laura Belcher (@WendyLBelcher) November 19, 2015

A group of black alumni mobilized others on Facebook and Twitter to call on university President Christopher Eisgruber to meet the students' demands.

"In this demonstration of support, we acknowledge that we, too, have experienced and dealt with unsupportive and outright dismissive spaces during our time at Princeton as a result of both covert and overt racism," a statement signed by "Concerned Black Alums" reads. "While our experiences may not take on the same shape or form, the racial hostility on campus for Black students has over time evolved and its consistent presence must be acknowledged."

A petition on Change.org addressed to the university administration is also drawing signatures.

Cristina Rojas may be reached at crojas@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @CristinaRojasTT. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.