MSU alumnus advocates solutions-oriented approach to fighting racism and promoting social justice

<p>Phil Hart earned master’s and Ph.D. degrees in sociology in 1970 and 1974 respectively from MSU’s College of Social Science. Hart has dedicated his career to studying race in America through the lenses of sociology, urban planning, and social justice. He's authored more than 100 books and articles on race in America and has served as a leader both on campus and around the country on race-related initiatives. </p><p>Hart talks about his time as a student activist on campus and offers his perspective on the challenges our nation is facing today. </p><p>“When I first arrived at MSU in the fall of 66, there was a lot of excitement about football. It was Bubba Smith and Duffy Daugherty. That was the center of attention. As we got to April 4th, 1968 with the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr, the mood changed totally, and I became very active in campus life. I was one of the founders of the Black Student Alliance that began putting pressure on the university to respond to the racial injustice and the urban protest that was going on starting after the death of Martin Luther King Jr.”</p><p>Hart talks about how he evolved as a student leader and points out that MSU opened the nation’s first department of urban affairs. He was instrumental in establishing an urban experiment station at MSU.</p><p>He senses a difference in the country’s mood following the killing of George Floyd “because the protests are more multiracial and multicultural, and the true awakening is happening in cities and towns around the world like London and Berlin.</p><p>“Also, what I think about is one of the things that Martin Luther King spoke about. He talked about the arc of history. He said, ‘The arc of history is long, but it bends towards justice.’ And I think the thing that I see different now from, say 1968, is that I think the arc of history is now bending towards justice. As you think about where all of this is leading today, we're obviously in the midst of a pandemic. I've been on lockdown in my house since March 11th. That