Family members of the late congressman Parren J. Mitchell unveil the dedication of the Parren J. Mitchell Art-Sociology Building on Thursday, Dec 3. Congressman Mitchell was a determined civil rights leader and the first African American graduate student at the University of Maryland.

Family members of the late congressman Parren J. Mitchell unveil the dedication of the Parren J. Mitchell Art-Sociology Building on Thursday, Dec 3. Congressman Mitchell was a determined civil rights leader and the first African American graduate student at the University of Maryland.

While University of Maryland President Wallace Loh gave a speech commemorating Parren Mitchell, a 1971-1987 congressman and civil rights leader who is the new namesake for the Art-Sociology Building, Colin Byrd stood to the side of the stage, fiddling with a megaphone.

The senior sociology major and activist then turned on the megaphone and interrupted a surprised Loh.

In front of the crowd of about 300 who gathered for the dedication of the newly renamed Parren J. Mitchell Art-Sociology building, including University System of Maryland Chancellor Robert Caret, Byrd criticized Loh for acting slowly on the Byrd Stadium renaming issue and for the lack of business contracts that go to African American-owned businesses. Byrd found in a public records request filed to the university that 1 percent of the university’s contracts in 2014 were given to African-American vendors with Minority Business Enterprise status, which he described as a form of economic injustice.

“That’s not acceptable, and I know you’re not going to answer, but I have to say this because you need to call this out for what it is,” said Byrd, who is not related to the stadium’s namesake. “This is B.S.”

Clarence M. Mitchell IV, a former senator of this state and nephew of Parren Mitchell, rose from the crowd to address Byrd.

“I’m here to honor my uncle; my family is here to honor my uncle,” Mitchell said. “I would appreciate it if you just go elsewhere.”

Byrd remained silent for the rest of the ceremony, which lasted about 90 minutes. Throughout the speeches, a student beside Byrd held a sign that read, “Say bye bye to Curley and do it in a hurry.”

Loh proceeded to acknowledge Byrd but did not comment further on the renaming debate or contracts.

“Mr. Byrd, I admire your passion and your commitment,” Loh said onstage. “Thank you for speaking out on these important issues. Thank you for allowing us to honor Parren Mitchell on this important occasion.”

The ceremony continued with a litany of speeches from deans, students and family members of Mitchell.

Several members of the Mitchell family recognized and celebrated this moment in the fighting spirit of Parren Mitchell.

“It wouldn’t be right if there wasn’t some noise and picket signs at a ceremony involving Parren Mitchell,” Michael Bowen Mitchell, the late congressman’s nephew, said from the stage.

After successfully suing the school for admission, Parren Mitchell became the first African-American graduate student to take classes on the campus and graduate from this university. He earned a master’s degree in sociology in 1952.

In October, the Board of Regents unanimously approved renaming the Art-Sociology Building in his honor. The Mitchell Building on the campus is named after Clarence M. Mitchell Jr., Parren’s brother.

Senior sociology major Rhys Hall spoke to the audience acknowledging the power Mitchell gave current students by fighting for the right to his education.

Afterward, Hall told The Diamondback that he agreed that Colin Byrd used that power and that he was glad to be a part of the Mitchell ceremony.

Loh said he did not yet have an opinion to share on renaming the stadium as the committee he formed to examine the issue has not yet reached a conclusion, but he said he was moved by the “passion and conviction” of the statements made at the ceremony.

READ MORE: Wallace Loh forms a work group to help consider renaming Byrd Stadium

Several members of Mitchell’s family, however, came out firmly in favor of renaming the stadium.

“Colin, what you’re doing and what the students here are doing is wonderful, but everything has a time and place,” Clarence M. Mitchell IV said onstage later. “I came here today to say to President Loh, Chancellor Caret … I stand with these students. The stadium needs to be renamed.”

Afterward, Clarence M. Mitchell IV said Byrd apologized to the Mitchell family. He agrees with students and Byrd on the issue of renaming the stadium, he said, noting the discrimination his uncle faced at the hands of the late university president.

“[Curley Byrd], decided to keep from having Parren Mitchell — just Parren Mitchell — from coming to the College Park campus, [so] he established a separate sociology school in Baltimore city to teach only Parren Mitchell,” Michael Bowen Mitchell said. “He sent letters out warning white parents that ‘Parren Mitchell is coming to College Park, and I can’t protect your daughter.’”

Bowen Mitchell also called for the removal of Byrd’s name from the stadium and noted it was a step forward to have two campus buildings named after Mitchells.

“Don’t you know Curley Byrd is turning over [in his grave]?” Bowen Mitchell said. “You have Parren Mitchell here and Clarence Mitchell over there.”