On Thursday, Sept. 11, numerous Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) went on lockdown amid threats toward their universities.
The Atlanta University Center (AUC) experienced threats themselves and it warranted a “shelter-in-place advisory” to be placed on the campuses.
While Morehouse and Spelman College students received emails requesting them to stay inside, Clark Atlanta University faced a complete lockdown situation. Police officers could be seen outside scanning the campus. Gates to the campus were shut off to prevent any entry. Students outside were immediately guided indoors and away from windows.
The situation was a first for many individuals, and people had different experiences during the time indoors. The Maroon Tiger sat down and talked with students around the AUC to find out how their experience was during the shelter-in-place advisory.
AUC students’ shelter-in-place experiences
The advisory was officially in place around 12:30 p.m. EST, a time where students are usually outside walking around. For Kaya Garrison’s , she was walking back from the Morehouse College bookstore.
“I was walking through the alley that connects the AUC,” Garrison, a sophomore at Clark Atlanta University, said. “A security guard frantically asked me where I was headed. I told him Clark and he told me we were at a shelter-in-place. He guided me to an academic building for my safety.”
Garrison was unaware of the situation in the beginning but remained calm even after hearing about the threats toward her school. Being in the building with hundreds of other students helped her not “feel alone” in the moment.
That is what Damaje Smith ’27 at Morehouse College focused on when the situation occurred.
“I felt a sense of trepidation,” Smith said. “You don’t know what is going on in your campus so your first thought is to check in on your brothers.” Smith harped on how big brotherhood is at Morehouse, “My brothers texted our group chat to confirm everyone was alright.” Their presence brings him ease of mind amidst crises or just a regular Monday.
Each AUC campus police department prioritizes the safety of the students, and the lockdown was an example of that. Kelly Harris-Wellman , a freshman at Clark Atlanta, was inside the Robert W. Woodruff Library during the lockdown and officials provided her information regarding the situation.
“We had a lot of officers on every corner,” Harris-Wellman said. “Everyone seems prepared for whatever to come.”
Officials also provided Garrison with the situation at hand after she did not receive the initial shelter-in-place email.
The lockdown gave people a chance to understand the problem at hand. For Baye Kemit, a doctoral student/teacher at Clark Atlanta, he wasn’t surprised.
“This is being Black in America,” Kemit said. “We are in a place where we have to protect ourselves in a liberal space like college.” “With everything going on in America, this is nothing new.”
Amid the troubling times that took place, students and faculty were directed to safety. Atlanta Police Department and other officials secured the campuses to ensure safety. Although no one was harmed, conversation has begun about why threats were directed at HBCUs.
“Due to current events, I felt a little scared,” Garrison said. “Why are we getting targeted again?”
While nothing has been confirmed yet, HBCUs will keep their eyes open for any possible threats a lot more going forward.
