cultural houses – Penn Disorientation Guide

Cultural Houses at Penn: A Decades-long Deadlock

Photo of the ARCH Building and a portion of Locust Walk in front of it on a cloudy day. Currently, the three major race-based cultural centers are housed in the ARCH building's basement. Photo courtesy of The Daily Pennsylvanian.

For those who are not already aware, the University of Pennsylvania is a predominantly-white institution. This detail is overlooked by some who are aware of Penn’s strong history of establishing some of the nation’s first Cultural Resource Centers (CRCs) on college campuses. However, many remain unaware of the history behind these spaces and the war that their student leaders have continuously waged in their journey to advocate for students of color at this institutions.