Honoring Gerald Penny ’77 and His Legacy
As we work to make the Amherst community more welcoming and inclusive, we must not shy away from sharing all aspects of our history, for such openness is foundational to any restorative process. Even our darkest moments must be brought to light if we are to know the harm caused and consider modes of redress. As Adam Clayton Powell Jr. said, “There is no future for a people who deny their past.”
In Amherst’s history, there is no more poignant story than that of Gerald Gilbert Penny, an accomplished young Black man from New Orleans. On September 12, 1973, Penny drowned in Pratt Pool during a swim test for new students. While his tragic death had an immediate and lasting impact on the College, to fully honor his memory requires a deeper look into its broader circumstances and a reckoning with the racist systems, structures, and assumptions that contributed to his death and that, in many ways, still affect us today.
Gerald’s death led to the elimination of the College’s swim test and the saving of future lives, as noted by his father Austin Penny Sr. in a 1973 New York Times interview. His legacy also lives on through the Gerald Penny ’77 Black Cultural Center, located on campus in the Octagon. During the dedication ceremony in 1974, Sonia Sanchez, professor of Black studies at Amherst from 1973 to 1975, read an original poem about Gerald (included below), and the organizers, Ameer Jabal ’77 and Lloyd Miller ’77, presented a gift to Gerald’s family. Visiting artist William Utermohlen unveiled a portrait of Gerald that is still displayed in the Center.
The Gerald Penny ’77 Black Cultural Center continues to serve as a hub of Black activism and Afro-centric events and a gathering space for the Black Student Union. It now also features a mural by Kevin Soltau ’01 of Black alumni who were an inspiration to him during his time as a student. In 2016, the Black Student Union invited Soltau back to campus to expand the mural (see the Amherst magazine story).
Exhibition & Events
An exhibition and a series of events commemorated the 50th anniversary of the death of Gerald Penny.
Exhibition in Frost Library: On view through the fall semester is material from Gerald’s time on campus, to convey a sense of the Amherst of 1973 and the world in which he lived.
Ceremony of Remembrance: A gathering on September 12, 2023—the date of Gerald’s death—featured remarks from President Michael Elliott and Sheree Ohen, Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer; excerpts of appreciation from Gerald’s friends at the 1974 dedication of the Black Cultural Center; and opportunities for reflection and prayer. The event concluded with the ringing of the Stearns Steeple bells at the time of Gerald’s death. Read more and watch the video.
A Commemoration of Gerald Penny '77: Additional events occurred during Black Alumni Weekend, November 10-12, 2023, including a panel discussion by Penny’s Amherst friends and classmates. Read more and watch the video.