Irate 8 and Samuel Dubose

This small bench commemorates the life of Samuel Dubose. On July 19, 2015 local Black resident Samuel Dubose was fatally shot by a UC policeman during a routine traffic stop. Following the shooting a student group called “The Irate 8” formed to address systemic racism on campus and spread awareness of the Black student experience. The group’s name comes from the fact that Black students were only 8% of the student body in 2015, while Black or African American residents made up 42.1% of Cincinnati’s population. The Irate 8 held interactive programs and performances to talk openly about racism, policing, and campus life including discussion panels with the Cincinnati Police Captain and UC’s Police Chief about individuals’ rights, how to interact with police during a traffic stop, and policing in general. Black student leaders created a list of ten demands for UC’s administration, calling for diversifying faculty, educating students and faculty about racial injustice, and recruiting Black students to UC. By 2021 most of the demands were near completion, including the soon-to-be addition of classes that cover racial awareness that is required for graduation, one million dollars awarded in scholarships to underrepresented minority groups, and renovation and creation of the African American Cultural and Research Center. On the other hand, some of the demands have not been met yet. Demand 7 called for the doubling of the number of black students on the main campus by October 14, 2018, and yet as of 2021, the percentage of black students on campus has actually fallen.