Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
City College Takes Fugitives' Names Off Campus Center
By
Jen Chung
Published Dec 13, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Chung
Published Dec 13, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
A day after the Daily News reported that City College had allowed a campus center to be named after two controversial figures on its cover, complete with scorching editorial criticizing the school, City College's chancellor Matthew Goldstein had the sign taken down. The center was called the Guillermo Morales/Assata Shakur Community Center. Guillermo Morales was a radical for Puerto Rico's independence and made bombs, including one that killed four people at Fraunces Tavern in 1975. His fingers blown off while making a bomb, but he escaped from Bellevue to Mexico and now lives in Cuba. Shakur, born Joanne Chesimard, was a member of the Black Liberation Army. In 1973, she killed NJ State trooper Wayne Foerster, she escaped from prison in 1979, headed to Cuba and now goes by Assata Shakur. There is still a $1 million reward for her capture.
Apparently the trustees never approved the sign! We're confused, because the News reported, "The Morales/Shakur Center got its name in 1989, a reward to radical students who took over City College's North Academic Center to protest a proposed tuition hike." So, the sign has been there for 17 years, but the board never approved it? Nice! Especially after the school told the News on Monday they weren't going to take it down. The groups that use the center are the Students for Educational Rights, the Student Liberation Action Movement and Dominicans 2000.
City College reaction was mixed about the sign. Some didn't realize the center was named after a "terrorist" while others said Shakur is a hero and was framed by the government. The Daily News story was prompted by a letter from student Sergey Kadinsky who wanted to "raise awareness and raise a debate." Our commenters had some interesting POVs yesterday:
Its one thing to name a center after someone like Malcom X - who, while controversial and sometimes vitriolic is seen by many as a community hero. Its another to name it after a cop murderer on the FBI's wanted terrorist list. That is simply insulting to every man and woman-in-blue who put their lives on the line to protect the public.
this whole assata shakur thing is bullshit...the dominant group in America (Whites) do not want her name removed from the sign simply because she is a 'cop-killer', but because she is a 'black militant' whose main goal is to 'terrorize' and shake the very foundation of the U.S. racist structure in which rich whites have strived so long and hard to maintain and protect. she represents everything the social, political and economic elite in this wretched country hate--someone from a disadvantaged group who 'doesn't know their place'.
What do you think of City College's decision to de-sign the center? And former Governor Mario Cuomo, who had vetoed the tuition increase at the time, told the NY Times, "Considering the problems we have in society. I’m not sure this is one of the major upsets to our tranquility and equilibrium."
Tagged
america
assata shakur
bomb
city
city college
college
commenters
community
daily news
do not want
fbi
government
governor
Governor Mario Cuomo
Liberation Army
mario cuomo
matthew goldstein
news
News: NYC
nj
ny times
people
protest
puerto rico
racist
terrorist
the daily news
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Bronx man indicted for murder in fatal bodega shooting
Prosecutors say Jesus Acosta shot and killed Tayvon Shuler, then robbed the East 149th Street store last month.
By
Giulia Heyward
Published Sep 29, 2026 at 7:44 p.m. ET
Mamdani must redo his pied-à-terre tax rollout, NY judge orders
A Staten Island judge ruled against the city in a lawsuit challenging the rollout of the new tax, a day after a billionaire casino mogul sued to invalidate it.
By
David Brand
News
Mamdani must redo his pied-à-terre tax rollout, NY judge orders
A Staten Island judge ruled against the city in a lawsuit challenging the rollout of the new tax, a day after a billionaire casino mogul sued to invalidate it.
By
David Brand
NYC eyes higher fines for owners of dirty vacant lots, abandoned construction sites
By
Liam Quigley
NJ Gov. Sherrill vetoes 2 bills meant to give strapped Jersey City more revenue tools
By
Michael Sol Warren
Brooklyn residents displaced after facade falls off neighboring building amid nor'easter
By
Catalina Gonella
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .