Early Events

In the first two months of 1969, multiple things occurred that contributed to the general feeling of unrest at Florida State. Several radical speakers visited the campus, including civil rights leader Dick Gregory in January. Back in full swing, Smoke Signals ran a series of humorous, if slightly offensive, editorials in an attempt to lighten the mood. Meanwhile, the university administration seemed to be falling apart with a series of resignations by faculty and staff.

In February, University President Champion suddenly resigned after months of struggling with declining health and the continuing repercussions of the "Pig Knife" controversy. The University's Executive Vice President J. Stanley Marshall, only recently appointed, took the temporary position as Acting President.

"Dick Gregory Visits FSU"

In January of 1969, comedian-turned-civil rights leader Dick Gregory (right) spoke at FSU as part of the annual Human Rights Conference. He spoke to a large crowd about his experience as a civil rights activist while condemning capitalism and the Vietnam War. In his stirring speech, some of which the Office of Information Services reprinted in their press release, Gregory encouraged students to change what was wrong in society, but to do so in a non-violent manner.

"Smoke Signals, 1969"

In a 1969 issue of Smoke Signals, editors dedicated several pages to the “Tally-Hoax,” a derisive parody of individuals and groups who were often featured in the Tally-Ho. Although it was all in good humor and no doubt prompted some laughter, some of the photos and captions may reveal how radical students may have really felt about the campus conservatives.

"Stanley Marshall"

Marshall replaced University President John Champion in February of 1969. In contrast to Champion, Acting President Marshall made an effort to hear students’ needs. As he recalls in his memoir, “No issue in my opinion was as important in maintaining friendly relations with students at FSU as the President’s access and availability…My message to students was simple and straightforward: I’ll meet with you any time, any place, and we’ll discuss anything you wish.” An indication of his effort is in the other two photographs, in which Marshall is talking with the students who surround him.

(J. Stanley Marshall, The Tumultuous Sixties: Campus Unrest and Student Life at a Southern University, 232)

"'69 Campus Cool Quiz"

A later issue of Smoke Signals included this quiz for students to determine their “cool” factor. Typical of the humor magazine, the quiz is both pointless and derogatory. However, it is also quite revealing. Writers directed the quiz towards a male audience and often depict females in questionable situations. One explanation for this is that most of the female student population may have refrained from reading such unapologetically vulgar material as Smoke Signals, so the staff often wrote for a male audience.

Take the quiz and see how cool you would be at FSU in the Sixties. Be sure to keep track of your points!