We, the MIT Black Students’ Union, reaffirm our right to exist as an organization dedicated to supporting, uplifting, and celebrating Black students at MIT. The Trump administration is engaging in a broad, anti-intellectual campaign to undermine the place and value of Black students in higher education. One such attempt is a letter sent by the Department of Education requiring that universities halt support of race-based programming. This letter denies the existence of systemic and structural racism in the United States and deliberately misrepresents the principles of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This policy, along with others rooted in the same rhetoric, serve as political stunts designed to pressure universities into withdrawing support for organizations like ours. While these policies will likely fail under legal scrutiny, they propagate a narrative that discredits higher education, DEI initiatives, and Black scholars.

We stand in solidarity with our community, with the Latino Cultural Center, and with other student organizations working to support marginalized groups in an increasingly hostile climate. While the future is uncertain, one truth is clear: Black and Brown students belong in higher education, and no efforts to exclude them will prevail. Throughout American history, many have tried to block students of color from accessing quality, equitable education.

This battle is decades old. The Black Students’ Union has been fighting it since our inception in 1968. We will not back down now.

In community,
The MIT Black Students’ Union

The Black Students’ Union executive board can be reached at bsu-exec@mit.edu.

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