"I can't believe it IS butter!"

Despite being known as a very well-respected educational institution and other accolades, Harvard University is not necessarily considered the “founder” of student protest. Harvard University is known as having the first student protests in the United States, well, at least on the grounds of the U.S. The first recollection of protests on university campuses can be traced back to the 1700s at Harvard.

The Great Butter Rebellion of 1766 is considered the first student protest on American soil. Asa Dunbar, the grandfather of Henry David Thoreau, led the charge for this particular protest when he proclaimed, “Then arose Asa, the Scribe, and went unto Butter stinketh, and we cannot eat thereof; now give us, we pray the, Butter that stinketh not.” This particular protest centered on food at the college. The faculty condemned Dunbar and others for insubordination. As a result of this protest, the Board of Overseers for Harvard met and asked for confessions of the insubordination and received none. The Board demanded that peace be restored to the campus without changes.

Two years later, a much larger scale protest took place called The Great Rebellion of 1768. Again, college food was the center of this protest. Riots accompanied this protest and resulted in an even more unsuccessful outcome. Severe penalties were enforced upon the students who participated in the protest.

Before the fighting of the Revolutionary War broke out, a sense of patriotism stretched across the student body of Harvard. Two Tory students brought tea into the Dining room in 1775 which resulted in riots on campus.

A few years later, in 1780, the most successful student revolt in college history took place. The students took a mild approach to this protest and sought out President Samuel Langdon. After several resolutions were passed by the students and much to the pleasure of the students, Langdon resigned from his position with the university.

These protests established a great starting place for the development of protests over time. The foundation created by these protests can be seen in protests during the 60s through today.

Page link: http://www.thecrimson.com/article/1963/5/3/riot-rebellion-pthe-statutes-of/