Hamilton Hall at Columbia University has been a site of student protest for over fifty years. In 1968, during protests over the Vietnam War, racism, and a plan to build a gymnasium in a nearby park, students barricaded themselves inside the building, preventing a dean from leaving his office. The police eventually entered the building, arresting over 700 people. A week later, about 250 students occupied the building again, only to be removed by the police after 10 hours.
In 1972, students once again locked themselves inside Hamilton Hall during antiwar protests. They used furniture as barricades and chained the doors shut. The police cleared the building after about a week, with no injuries or arrests reported. However, the university threatened legal action against the protesters for trespassing and contempt of a court injunction.
In 1985, protesters occupied Hamilton Hall to demand that Columbia University divest from companies operating in South Africa. After three weeks, the students ended their occupation just before a judge ordered them to reopen the building. Despite no guarantees of policy change, students saw the protest as a moral victory. Later that year, Columbia’s board of trustees voted to sell all university stock in American companies operating in South Africa.
In 1992, students occupied Hamilton Hall in protest of Columbia’s plan to convert the Audubon Theater and Ballroom, where Malcolm X was assassinated in 1965, into a biomedical research complex. The blockade lasted less than a day. This occupation was part of a series of student protests at the building over the years, showcasing a pattern of activism and demands for change at Columbia University.
Hamilton Hall’s history of student protest reflects a tradition of activism and dissent on college campuses. These protests have been driven by a variety of issues, from war and racism to university policies and investments. The building has been a symbolic site for student movements seeking social justice and institutional change.
The legacy of student protest at Hamilton Hall underscores the role of young people in advocating for social change and challenging institutions to address pressing issues. These actions have often led to tangible outcomes, such as policy changes and divestment decisions. As students continue to mobilize and protest, Hamilton Hall remains a symbol of resistance and activism on Columbia University’s campus.
