add related materials link to digital OCT once its online.
This collection is unprocessed. Materials are arranged in the order received.
Accession Number UA.1984.0156: source unknown, date unknown; Accession Number UA.1994.0175: Penny Pearson, date unknown; Accession Number UA.1997.0072: W. Marvin Dulaney, 1997 September; Accession No. UA.2019.0215: Dr. W. Marvin Dulaney, 2019 December
[identification of item], Ohio State University, Dimensions Records, RG 44.60, Ohio State University Archives, Ohio State University
Contains an audiocassette.
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Finding aid written by: Audrey Wimbiscus, 2018 July
"Dimensions" was started in 1970 as the campus newspaper "Our Choking Times" (OCT.) It began through the efforts of black journalism majors who received a $2500 grant to create a newspaper by and about black students, presenting their perspective to campus. OCT was first published bi-weekly, and switched to bi-monthly publication as a newsmagazine in 1975. The paper was distributed at no cost on campus, and at its peak had a circulation of 10,000. It had financial troubles throughout its run, and fought to try and gain recognition as an official campus newspaper for which students could earn academic credit; the paper was ultimately unsuccessful in gaining this recognition. For a short time in 1976 and 1977, OCT also ran a telephone hotline that students could call to hear a prerecorded 2.5 minute hotline message on campus news and editorials. Callers were then able to leave 30 second responses to the stories they heard.
In 1982, OCT briefly changed its name to "Spectrum," and later that year to "Dimensions," as an attempt to shed some of its radical reputation. "Dimensions" was active through at least 1997, and is not active as of 2018.
The Ohio State University, Dimensions Records dates from circa 1970 to 1994, and contains an interview on audiocassette describing the creation of "Our Choking Times" and the history of "Dimensions" black student newspapers. It also contains issues of "Our Choking Times," "Spectrum," and "Dimensions," as well as administrative materials related to the running of the student newspapers.
(1) audiocassette
Material from Our Choking Times (OCT), which W. Marvin Dulaney gathered or created while he was Research Editor for the newspaper from 1975 to 1978. Included are OCT clippings, internal memos, flyers and advertising contracts, as well as correspondence with the university administration, and African-American faculty and administrators. Also included are notes on and drafts of articles Dulaney wrote. Some material is related to other student organizations and university entities, as well as organizations outside of the University with which Dulaney was involved or had contact.