CUNY DIGITAL HISTORY ARCHIVE

Hostos United/Hostos Unido issued this bulletin in April of 1978 to explain the occupation of the 500 Grand Concourse building. The bulletin not only encouraged members of the Hostos community to participate in and assist with the effort, but it also alluded to conflict between activists over the timing of the actual takeover. This bulletin encouraged community members to move beyond such conflict to strengthen their efforts. To draw more public attention to their cause, and to demand needed funding to complete renovations to the building, students and faculty occupied the property to run classes and activities to pressure Mayor Koch and other officials to enable bond sales and renovations to proceed.

By 1977, the third part of the campaign to save Hostos Community College had picked up momentum. Having extremely poor facilities, the college had acquired a second building across the street from its original location that would allow Hostos to expand. However, the 500 Grand Concourse building needed renovations to be useable but the college had been denied the funds necessary to prepare and occupy their second building. A fresh wave of organizing by students and faculty drove efforts to enable Hostos to continue to be a hub of opportunity for residents of the South Bronx.