The Trotter Multicultural Center, as it is known today, began as Trotter House, a Black Student Cultural Center. It is part of a long legacy of activism brought on by African American students united under the Black Action Movement (BAM)-- a legacy that connects other departments and centers including but not limited to; the Department of Afroamerican and African Studies (DAAS), Multi-ethnic Student Affairs (MESA), the Comprehensive Studies Program (CSP), The Diversity Peer Educators Program and Multicultural Lounges, and the Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives (OAMI).
Named in honor of William Monroe Trotter (1872-1934) at an old house on the corner of South and East University Street, Trotter House opened for operation on November 15, 1971 and offered workshops for art students led by African American artists; sociology and psychology classes; orientation meetings for incoming students; academic and career counseling; a chess clinic; parties and dances; and a heavily attended weekly luncheon. After sustaining damage by a fire, the Trotter House was established on Washtenaw Avenue in 1972.
Trotter House continued to grow, and in 1981 Trotter House was renamed as the Trotter Multicultural Center, which supports a focus on intersectional liberation and intercultural collaboration. Today, the Trotter Multicultural Center centers U-M’s legacy of Black student activism and continues to provide intentional space for community engagement that promotes intercultural and multicultural engagement, racial healing, and transformative development across all generations and cultures.
Click here for more information on the history of the Trotter Multicultural Center.