Black Domers

Don Wycliff, Notre Dame Class of 1969, is the former editorial page editor of the Chicago Tribune.David Krashna, Notre Dame Class of 1971, is a retired/assigned judge of the Alameda County, California, Superior Court.Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C. (1917–2015) was president of the University of Notre Dame from 1952 to 1987. As an adviser to presidents, special envoy to popes, theologian, author, educator, and activist, Father Hesburgh was for decades considered the most influential priest in America. He is the author and editor of a number of books, including The Challenge and Promise of a Catholic University (University of Notre Dame Press, 1994).

"I believe that there is tremendous value in capturing these narratives, not only in terms of the individual stories but also in terms of what they reflect when taken as a whole. This book makes an invaluable contribution to the history of Notre Dame as well as affirmative action, Catholic history, black Catholic history, and ethnic history in the age of civil rights." —Ann Firth, chief of staff to the president, University of Notre Dame"In a series of 75 essays, beginning with the first African-American to graduate from Notre Dame in 1947 to a member of the class of 2017 who also served as student body president, the book traces the trials, tribulations and triumphs of the African-American experience at Notre Dame through seven decades." —South Bend Tribune"Black Domers provides evidence that determined, hardworking, intellectually gifted, and average African-American students can succeed in academically demanding, predominantly white academic institutions committed to their success. The testimonies of these African-American graduates, 'the Black Domers' of Notre Dame, give witness to how they grew 'in wisdom, age, and grace' as they formed community, embraced redemptive suffering, and worked with other members of the Notre Dame community to create a diverse and inclusive community of activists whose scholarship and skills could contribute to the transformation of the world using the transformation of the university as a prototype." —Jamie T. Phelps, OP, instructor at St. Ambrose and St. Thomas the Apostle parishes, Chicago"Some stories need to be lived in order to be told truthfully, truly and fully. But even an African-American student would be unable to tell the story of being black at Notre Dame because there is no single story, no singular experience, no one person who can speak for all who have come here from so many places, families, and personal histories. It would take a book to explain. And one with many voices. Now we have that book." —Kerry McPhee Temple, editor, Notre Dame Magazine"Black Domers is a remarkable read. Through the editors' masterful balance of narrative depth and historical breadth, readers witness the trials, tribulations, brilliance, and resilience of black students at Notre Dame over the past seven decades. Reading this book left me emotional at times. Still, I remained inspired, with a resolute sense of pride in walking the campus where these trailblazers broke down barriers. Black Domers serves not only as a testament of how far we have come, but as a charge to continue the important work of ensuring that the experiences of every member of the Notre Dame family are consistent and reflect well on Our Lady." —Eric Love, director of staff diversity and inclusion, University of Notre Dame