The following documents are intended to represent the history of protests and student actions surrounding the Lynd House Sit-in of 1969 on the campus of Sarah Lawrence College.
Given the large number of documents housed in the College Archives on various student actions (approximately 5,000), the representation here is not comprehensive. To learn more about a specific student action and the SLC community’s response, please reach out to the Archives.
This online collection contains the original actions, demands, and various community responses to add historical context to the events and to make many of the documents more accessible. The documents are arranged chronologically in ascending order within each protest. The majority of the documents are from the Protest and Activism Collection, but there are others from the various collections within the College Archives. The collection from which the document came is noted in the metadata record for the item. To access finding aids for collections, such as the Protest and Activism Collection, see the Archives website. For additional information on the history of diversity at the College, see the Diversity Timeline.
NOTE: To protect the privacy of individuals, names have been redacted in the documents.
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![[The Institute for Community Studies Description, May 8, 1969] by Institute for Community Studies, Sarah Lawrence College](https://digitalcommons.slc.edu/protest/1093/thumbnail.jpg "[The Institute for Community Studies Description, May 8, 1969] by Institute for Community Studies, Sarah Lawrence College")
[The Institute for Community Studies Description, May 8, 1969]
Institute for Community Studies, Sarah Lawrence College
Printed description of the work of the Institute for Community Studies run out of Sarah Lawrence College.
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![[Memo to the Institute for Community Studies, May 9, 1969] by [Redacted]](https://digitalcommons.slc.edu/protest/1094/thumbnail.jpg "[Memo to the Institute for Community Studies, May 9, 1969] by [Redacted]")
[Memo to the Institute for Community Studies, May 9, 1969]
[Redacted]
Memo to the Institute for Community Studies by students listing the demands for the Institute, which sparks the Lynd House Sit-in.
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![[Statement to Clarify the Demands to the Institute for Community Studies, May 10, 1969] by Students Against the Institute, Sarah Lawrence College](https://digitalcommons.slc.edu/protest/1096/thumbnail.jpg "[Statement to Clarify the Demands to the Institute for Community Studies, May 10, 1969] by Students Against the Institute, Sarah Lawrence College")
[Statement to Clarify the Demands to the Institute for Community Studies, May 10, 1969]
Students Against the Institute, Sarah Lawrence College
Statement to the Sarah Lawrence Community from the Students Against the Institute providing more detail on the reason for one of the demands from an earlier document.
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![[Announcement of Protest at Lynd House Against the Institute for Community Studies, May 12, 1969] by [Unknown]](https://digitalcommons.slc.edu/protest/1100/thumbnail.jpg "[Announcement of Protest at Lynd House Against the Institute for Community Studies, May 12, 1969] by [Unknown]")
[Announcement of Protest at Lynd House Against the Institute for Community Studies, May 12, 1969]
[Unknown]
Flyer announcing the protest of the Institute for Community Studies with an event at Lynd House.
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![[Statement to Clarify the Demands to the Institute for Community Studies, May 12, 1969] by Students Against the Institute, Sarah Lawrence College](https://digitalcommons.slc.edu/protest/1098/thumbnail.jpg "[Statement to Clarify the Demands to the Institute for Community Studies, May 12, 1969] by Students Against the Institute, Sarah Lawrence College")
[Statement to Clarify the Demands to the Institute for Community Studies, May 12, 1969]
Students Against the Institute, Sarah Lawrence College
Statement to the Sarah Lawrence Community from the Students Against the Institute providing more detail on the reason for one of the demands from an earlier document. This particular statement is about the Upward Bound program.
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![[Memo from Esther Raushenbush to Faculty and Students, May 13, 1969] by Esther Raushenbush](https://digitalcommons.slc.edu/protest/1104/thumbnail.jpg "[Memo from Esther Raushenbush to Faculty and Students, May 13, 1969] by Esther Raushenbush")
[Memo from Esther Raushenbush to Faculty and Students, May 13, 1969]
Esther Raushenbush
Memo from President Esther Raushenbush to faculty and students with background on the closing of the Institute for Community Studies.
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![[Memo from Esther Raushenbush to the Students Occupying Lynd House, May 13, 1969] by Esther Raushenbush](https://digitalcommons.slc.edu/protest/1105/thumbnail.jpg "[Memo from Esther Raushenbush to the Students Occupying Lynd House, May 13, 1969] by Esther Raushenbush")
[Memo from Esther Raushenbush to the Students Occupying Lynd House, May 13, 1969]
Esther Raushenbush
Memo from President Esther Raushenbush to the students occupying Lynd House urging them to vacate Lynd House.
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![[Memo from the Black Students Association to the Sarah Lawrence Community, May 13, 1969] by Black Students Association](https://digitalcommons.slc.edu/protest/1101/thumbnail.jpg "[Memo from the Black Students Association to the Sarah Lawrence Community, May 13, 1969] by Black Students Association")
[Memo from the Black Students Association to the Sarah Lawrence Community, May 13, 1969]
Black Students Association
Memo from the Black Students Association to the Sarah Lawrence Community expressing support for the Lynd House protest.
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![[Memoranda from Esther Raushenbush and the Students Occupying Lynd House, May 13, 1969] by Esther Raushenbush and Students Against the Institute, Sarah Lawrence College](https://digitalcommons.slc.edu/protest/1103/thumbnail.jpg "[Memoranda from Esther Raushenbush and the Students Occupying Lynd House, May 13, 1969] by Esther Raushenbush and Students Against the Institute, Sarah Lawrence College")
[Memoranda from Esther Raushenbush and the Students Occupying Lynd House, May 13, 1969]
Esther Raushenbush and Students Against the Institute, Sarah Lawrence College
Two memoranda. The first is from President Esther Raushenbush to faculty and students announcing the closing of the Institute for Community Studies. The second is from the students protesting in Lynd House extending their remaining demands.
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![[Resolutions Passed by the Faculty, May 13, 1969] by [Unknown]](https://digitalcommons.slc.edu/protest/1108/thumbnail.jpg "[Resolutions Passed by the Faculty, May 13, 1969] by [Unknown]")
[Resolutions Passed by the Faculty, May 13, 1969]
[Unknown]
Two resolutions passed by the faculty regarding the Lynd House Sit-in.
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![[Letter to the Black Students Association, May 14, 1969] by [Redacted]](https://digitalcommons.slc.edu/protest/1112/thumbnail.jpg "[Letter to the Black Students Association, May 14, 1969] by [Redacted]")
[Letter to the Black Students Association, May 14, 1969]
[Redacted]
Letter from the students occupying Lynd House to the Black Students Association thanking them for their support and apologizing for some of their actions.
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![[Meeting Minutes of General Committee, May 14, 1969] by General Committee, Sarah Lawrence College](https://digitalcommons.slc.edu/protest/1111/thumbnail.jpg "[Meeting Minutes of General Committee, May 14, 1969] by General Committee, Sarah Lawrence College")
[Meeting Minutes of General Committee, May 14, 1969]
General Committee, Sarah Lawrence College
Meeting minutes of the May 14, 1969 General Committee meeting in which President Esther Raushenbush discusses the Lynd House Sit-in, its causes, and the plans for next steps.
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![[Memo from Esther Raushenbush to Faculty and Students, May 14, 1969] by Esther Raushenbush](https://digitalcommons.slc.edu/protest/1110/thumbnail.jpg "[Memo from Esther Raushenbush to Faculty and Students, May 14, 1969] by Esther Raushenbush")
[Memo from Esther Raushenbush to Faculty and Students, May 14, 1969]
Esther Raushenbush
Brief memo from President Esther Raushenbush to faculty and students announcing the closure of the Institute for Community Studies.
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![[Memo from Esther Raushenbush to the College Community, May 14, 1969] by Esther Raushenbush](https://digitalcommons.slc.edu/protest/1109/thumbnail.jpg "[Memo from Esther Raushenbush to the College Community, May 14, 1969] by Esther Raushenbush")
[Memo from Esther Raushenbush to the College Community, May 14, 1969]
Esther Raushenbush
Memo from President Esther Raushenbush to the College Community with further clarification on the reasons for closing the Institute for Community Studies and plans for the immediate future.
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![[Letter to Esther Raushenbush from Occupiers, May 15, 1969] by Students Against the Institute, Sarah Lawrence College](https://digitalcommons.slc.edu/protest/1113/thumbnail.jpg "[Letter to Esther Raushenbush from Occupiers, May 15, 1969] by Students Against the Institute, Sarah Lawrence College")
[Letter to Esther Raushenbush from Occupiers, May 15, 1969]
Students Against the Institute, Sarah Lawrence College
After the closing of the Institute for Community Studies, the students protesting in Lynd House write to President Esther Raushenbush to accept the closing and share their remaining demands.
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![[Memo from Esther Raushenbush to the Students Occupying Lynd House, May 15, 1969] by Esther Raushenbush](https://digitalcommons.slc.edu/protest/1114/thumbnail.jpg "[Memo from Esther Raushenbush to the Students Occupying Lynd House, May 15, 1969] by Esther Raushenbush")
[Memo from Esther Raushenbush to the Students Occupying Lynd House, May 15, 1969]
Esther Raushenbush
Memo from President Esther Raushenbush to the students occupying Lynd House with a final request for the students to vacate the building.
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![[Telegram from Mount Vernon Resident to Esther Raushenbush, May 15, 1969] by [Redacted]](https://digitalcommons.slc.edu/protest/1115/thumbnail.jpg "[Telegram from Mount Vernon Resident to Esther Raushenbush, May 15, 1969] by [Redacted]")
[Telegram from Mount Vernon Resident to Esther Raushenbush, May 15, 1969]
[Redacted]
Western Union telegram from Mount Vernon resident to President Esther Raushenbush arguing against the closing of the Institute for Community Studies.
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![[Faculty Member to the Sarah Lawrence Community, May 21, 1969] by [Redacted]](https://digitalcommons.slc.edu/protest/1116/thumbnail.jpg "[Faculty Member to the Sarah Lawrence Community, May 21, 1969] by [Redacted]")
[Faculty Member to the Sarah Lawrence Community, May 21, 1969]
[Redacted]
Letter to the Sarah Lawrence Community from the faculty member directing the Institute for Community Studies sharing information about the Institute and protest to close it.
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![[Letter to Students, Administration, and Faculty from Student, May 26, 1969] by [Redacted]](https://digitalcommons.slc.edu/protest/1117/thumbnail.jpg "[Letter to Students, Administration, and Faculty from Student, May 26, 1969] by [Redacted]")
[Letter to Students, Administration, and Faculty from Student, May 26, 1969]
[Redacted]
Letter from a graduate student to the Sarah Lawrence Community expressing thoughts about the Lynd House Sit-in.
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![[Letter from Mount Vernon Resident to Esther Raushenbush and Charles DeCarlo, May 27, 1969] by [Redacted]](https://digitalcommons.slc.edu/protest/1118/thumbnail.jpg "[Letter from Mount Vernon Resident to Esther Raushenbush and Charles DeCarlo, May 27, 1969] by [Redacted]")
[Letter from Mount Vernon Resident to Esther Raushenbush and Charles DeCarlo, May 27, 1969]
[Redacted]
Letter from Mount Vernon resident to President Esther Raushenbush and President-Designate Charles DeCarlo expressing support for the Institute for Community Studies and dismay at its closing.
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![[Draft News Release or Letter to Mount Vernon Residents, June 17, 1969] by [Redacted]](https://digitalcommons.slc.edu/protest/1119/thumbnail.jpg "[Draft News Release or Letter to Mount Vernon Residents, June 17, 1969] by [Redacted]")
[Draft News Release or Letter to Mount Vernon Residents, June 17, 1969]
[Redacted]
Draft of news release or letter from Sarah Lawrence College to only Mount Vernon residents further explaining the closing of the Institute for Community Studies and plans for the future of community involvement.
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![[Letter from Esther Raushenbush to Mount Vernon Residents, June 30, 1969] by Esther Raushenbush](https://digitalcommons.slc.edu/protest/1120/thumbnail.jpg "[Letter from Esther Raushenbush to Mount Vernon Residents, June 30, 1969] by Esther Raushenbush")
[Letter from Esther Raushenbush to Mount Vernon Residents, June 30, 1969]
Esther Raushenbush
Letter from President Esther Raushenbush sent to various Mount Vernon residents upon her departure as president of Sarah Lawrence College. Raushenbush shares the background on the closing of the Institute for Community Studies, the plans for the future, and her support for the director of the Institute.