Pacific University Historic Photographs

Shagnasty Students in Costume

Three students or faculty of Pacific University, dressed as Latin American communist revolutionaries for a rally held on the Pacific University campus in 1961, called by the students the "Shagnasty Election Rebellion." This event poked fun at the Cuban Revolution that had occurred just a few years prior, playing off the beards, rifles and uniforms of Fidel Castro and other Cuban leaders. The "revolutionaries" are wearing armbands marked "BS," probably satirizing the "Movimiento 26 de Julio" armbands worn by Cuban revolutionaries.

Harry Boyar (Pacific University Class of 1965), who dressed as a revolutionary for this event, described the rally in a letter to the editor of the 'Pacific Today' alumni magazine (Summer-Fall 1969, inside cover): "The picture was taken during a rally, to reveal 'Bolivar Shagnasty,' a presidential candidate that we (Bill Cunningham, a graduate Psychology major, Jeri Lee, senior Speech major, Gerry Stinson, graduate Psychology major, and myself, a freshman Business major) thought of running for president of the student body, in 1961. We wanted to do something to stimulate the student body to get out and vote. As it turned out, we had the largest turnout in the history of the university [....] President Ritchie, Dean Durham, and Robert Wylie also took part."

[Transcribed from back of photograph:] Used in Spring 1969 Issue PACIFIC TODAY; 'Do You Remember photo'.

1961

Student activities

Students

Students--Social life and customs

Universities and colleges

Heritage Studies

Local & State History

gelatin silver prints

English

PUApic_012365

Online access to this image is for research and educational purposes only. To inquire about permissions, order a reproduction, or for more information, please contact the Pacific University Archives at archives@pacificu.edu.

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Photo Image Collection, Pacific University Archives

Still Image