1978 Bakke Decision

What happened?

In 1977, in the lead up to the U.S. Supreme Court taking up the case of Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, thousands of people gathered across the nation in a National Day of Protest against the Bakke decision. Oakland’s Fruitvale saw one of the largest crowds.  

The Bakke Case argued that race-based quotas in the UC System were unconstitutional after Allan Bakke sued UC Davis after twice being denied admission to UCD’s Medical School. The lower court and U.S. upheld this argument and later in 1978, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the lower court’s decision, ultimately ending race-based admissions in the UC System. To Chicanos and other “third world communities” this decision was deemed a direct assault on accessibility to higher education.

On October 8, 1977, thousands of people gathered in Oakland at Sanborn Park and marched to San Antonio Park where a massive rally was held with speakers and live entertainment. Photographs have memorialized the magnitude of this community gathering. Like the Vietnam War, the Bakke Case was a catalyst for the politicization and organizing of the Chicano community. Malaquías Montoya created an iconic poster for the Fruitvale Committee to Overturn the Bakke Decision, where the American flag drapes over what seems like a swastika as people are silenced and blinded, Along the top are the words of Frederick Douglas, “The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress'', followed by a resolute statement - “Luchen Contra Racismo! Fight Racism!”

Photographs by Lenor de Cruz