The Daily Egyptian is published by the students of SIU at Carbondale. Except during vacations and exam weeks, The Daily Egyptian is published Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and TWThF during the summer semester."

Dare to Dream

Growing up in Centralia in the 1940s and '50s, Roland Burris was surrounded by racism and segregation, but those days prepared him for what he would encounter on SIUC's campus.

On Memorial Day 1953, Burris, along with friends and family, wanted to go swimming, but during those times things were separated by race so they were not allowed.

His father tried to find a lawyer to help them integrate the swimming pool, and when everyone thought it was time to rejoice, the celebration was halted.

"We were at home celebrating, but my dad was upset and we couldn't figure out why," Burris said. "I was thinking, blacks could go out and swim in this pretty blue water now."

Burris' father told him the lawyer he hired had not shown up and if they, as a people, were going to get somewhere they had to have lawyers and state officials who were responsible and responsive.

It was then that Burris set two goals for himself; he wanted to be a lawyer and a statewide elected official.

"At that age I could only visualize something called lieutenant governor at the time," Burris said. "I really wasn't into the whole structure of Illinois government at that time, but when I hit SIU, I was a pre-law student. I was very serious."

From 1955 to 1959, Burris attended SIUC, which was a time when the city of Carbondale, which was a segregated community, had about 10,000 people and the University had approximately 5,000.

"Black students could only eat in about four places in the city and things were not different at the University," Burris said.

The year 1955 saw the completion of Woody Hall. Delyte Morris, SIU president at the time, indicated that students who applied for Woody Hall should be applied on a first-come first-serve basis.

"I asked, what about the Negro -they were called Negro at that time-female students," Burris said. "So there was a lot of controversy over the Woody Hall assignment of rooms. Dr. Morris stood up to even his own University and Carbondale structure and intergraded Woody Hall."

Burris said following the integration of the residence hall, some white parents pulled their daughters out of SIUC, but Morris did not waver and made sure black female students were assigned to rooms in Woody hall.

Another major event during his studies was seeing the first black instructor on campus. Donald McHenry was a master's student while teaching an undergraduate speech course.

"He went on to be a major speech writer in the federal government and was a successor to Andy Young as ambassador to the U.N. from the U.S.," Burris said.

Burris received his bachelor's degree in political science in 1959, and then went on to study abroad at the University of Hamburg in Germany for a year before entering law school at Howard University in Washington, D.C.

Burris said his time at SIUC was fulfilling and that he saw and went through a lot of things that prepared him for his future endeavors.

He began his career in 1963 as the first Black National Bank Examiner for the U.S. Treasury Department. Now, 40 years later, he is being honored for that by the Treasury Department.

"They looked me up and found me in Chicago and invited me to give a speech and to honor me," Burris said.

From 1964 to 1973 Burris served as vice-president of Continental Illinois National Bank and Trust Company. He then became the director of the State Department of General Services. His biggest feat, and one of his goals set when he was 15 years old was becoming an elected official.

In 1978 he became the first African American to be elected to state office when he began his first of three terms as state comptroller.

On Nov. 6, 1990, Burris became yet again the first black elected to a major political office when he won the Attorney General position.

After that, Burris then went on to make three unsuccessful attempts at the governor's office.

"I've obtained my goal. My goal was not to become governor, but I tried three times. I ran for the nomination and was not successful, but I feel no remorse," Burris said. "I had the ability and without a doubt the competency to become governor of Illinois, but for various reasons it was not meant to be."

John Holmes, a fellow member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, has known Burris since their days at SIUC and said he is a good person and always looking out for others.

"He has served 20 years in state government with no scandal. That is a great feat in itself," Holmes said.

Burris is currently an attorney with the Peters Law Firm, specializing in environment, consumer affairs and estates.

Thinking back on his time at SIUC, Burris recalls an event he says was one of his major accomplishments. In 1958, the Beta Eta chapter of his fraternity was gearing up to celebrate its 25th anniversary. They wanted to invite guest down for the event, but black people were not allowed to stay in the hotels.

This prompted him and his fraternity brothers to come up with a strategy to try and change things. They went to Morris, but he needed evidence before he could do anything so they created a questionnaire and passed it out to hotels, restaurants, taverns and clothing stores.

One of the questions asked if the establishment served non-whites and each place answered yes. The men then got together with white students and tested the establishments. A white student would go in and receive service, a black student would go in next and be refused, and then another white student would go in and be served.

All accounts were documented and, with witnesses on hand, all information was taken back to President Morris.

"He called a meeting with the Chamber of Commerce of Carbondale and met with all members. I recall Dr. Morris making the statement of how the University and community of Carbondale have to get along," Burris said. "Then Dr. Morris said, 'You are not treating our colored students properly.'"

In September, Burris received a letter telling him that out of the meeting and the study, the city of Carbondale had integrated except for one tavern, then known as the Rat Hole.

"The move in 1959 when we integrated the city of Carbondale without any controversy, confrontation or conflict was a great highlight," Burris said.

In 1988 Burris received the Alumni Achievement Award, in 1997 the SIU Distinguished Alumnus Award and in 1999 the Obelisk Award for Education and Community Service.

Burris said he is honored to be recognized for his achievements, and that there are a lot of students from East St. Louis and southern Illinois who were great athletes and scholars and who were very bright and aggressive who attended SIUC.

"A lot of them have been successful in their careers today, as they got their basic college training from SIU," Burris said.

Holmes and others had nothing but positive things to say about Burris in his career, education and family.

"He is as honest as they come," Holmes said. "What more can you say?"

Burris is married and has two children, Rolanda and Roland Jr.

Burris said he is happy and content with where he is now and tries to help young people reach their goals and to dare to dream.

"It's a lot of water over the dam, but there is still a long way to go because there is still racism in this system, there's still prejudice, but we cannot let that be a deterrent to our ability to achieve and obtain," Burris said.

Reporter Samantha Robinson can be reached at

srobinson@dailyegyptian.com