Northwestern celebrates 50th anniversary of student sit-in

EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) - Northwestern University will fund student and faculty proposed events this spring as part of the 50th anniversary commemoration of the school's first major sit-in.

The school's Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion said it will offer up to $2,500 for events and programs related to the 1968 bursar office takeover.

The announcement is part of the school's year-long celebration of the protest that led to the creation of its African American Studies Department. The university will also host movie screenings and lectures from activists as part of the anniversary.

More than 100 students occupied the bursar's office in May 1968 to protest the university's treatment of its black students. The school agreed to increase services and support regarding housing, scholarships, and curriculum after the 36-hour student sit-in.