UNF “Human Conflict: Black and White” 1970s class on Race Relations

Pictured above are UNF’s students with Dr. Peter Kranz, Professor of Race Relations class in 1973.

Special to The Florida Star Newspaper

The University of North Florida made unprecedented history 50 years ago by offering a first ever of its kind in the state of Florida’s university system, a psychology class on race relations. “Human Conflict: Black and White” was taught by Dr. Peter Kranz from 1972 to 1977. He was an original staff member at UNF in the Psychology Department and the class was his brainchild. Since teaching the race relation class, Dr. Kranz is known as a National Expert on on race relations, receiving numerous awards, local and National recognition and most recently a book titled “An Arena of Truth: Conflict in Black and White, written by Terence Clarke, author.

Dr. Kranz’s unorthodox method of teaching a race relation class at UNF was timely in the early 1970s because of racial tension and strife in Duval County and around the United States. Dr. Kranz was influenced by the passing of Civil Rights Laws in 1964, Voting Right Act in 1965, the great influence of Psychiatrists Price M. Cobbs and William H. Grier authors of “Black Rage “ in 1968 and the untimely death of his childhood friend Michael Schwener, one of three Mississippi Civil Rights Workers murdered in 1964.
UNF’s administration was ahead of time in 1972 when it came to race relations, thanks to Dr. Kranz.

“Human Conflict: Black and White”, was more of a study on race relations than a classroom course. Dr. Kranz unorthodox method of teaching would start with him writing a topic for discussion that day on the blackboard and once students were seated, he would point to a student asking for a response and this would set off a heated discussion among the racially and gender divided class of 12 students, physical violence was not allowed or interruptions when a student was answering the question, but there was sometimes tears and apologies if someone was offended. The class topic of the day may have been “What do you dislike about the opposite race?” and there were brutally honest answers, no one held back, just let it flow and at the end of class everybody would still be friends until the next class period was in session.

“Human Conflict: Black and White” students were not required to have textbooks, take tests or have pen and paper, just show up and be prepared for an assignment off campus whether to test the availability of apartments based upon race or gender or the treatment at local restaurants based upon skin color or gender in Jacksonville during the 1970s and there were visits to HCBU (Historical Black Colleges and Universities) to explore campus life in an all black setting, which was a first for white students taking the course. The highlight of the race relation course for students was to live in the homes of opposite race(black or white) and report their experiences back to the class to critique and receive their final grade from Professor Kranz. Everyone received an A.

A race relation course of this magnitude can’t ever be taught again in the state of Florida, it was unique in its time and now with Florida House Bill 7 – Government Censorship of Discussions about systemic racism and gender and race discrimination, UNF like other learning institutions would face severe scrutiny and penalties from our State University System of Florida.

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