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In 1974, Robert Allen wrote this article in the Journal of Black Studies and Research, which describes the imperiled state of Black Studies programs after their hasty implementation across the nation, internal conflicts exploited by opponents, and finally the disastrous maligning Black Studies by the Nixon Administration.
Allen defines three schools of thought around Black Studies: as a purely academic field that could be called "contributionist;" second, under Harold Cruse, a proponent of cultural nationalism; and thirdly, Nathan Hare, who saw Black Studies as a "vehicle for social change" that could break down hierarchical relations between ivory tower profesors and their students and offer a critical lens of race and class.
Black Studies was criticized on many levels, but key to those critiques were that it was not academic (and thereby took the blame for racial tensions on campuses), that it had no intellectual basis (certainly not given the time to develop as had other disciplines), and that it promoted "reverse racism." This "intellectual scapegoating," as Allen calls it, made it easy to drain departmental budgets.
Allen identifies several needs situated within his time: defining the field, developing and standardizing curriculum, faculty and staff recruiting, putting pressure on professional organizations, creating watchdog committees to work in local and national politics, and to investigate career opportunities for graduates in the field. Finally, he points out that it won't be easy, and who Black Studies should serve is a central issue.