A discussion of the past and current political context of black college enrollment which focuses on the Northwestern University campus social order and the norms brought to it by blacks, analyzing in detail the politicization process for black students between 1966 and 1969. The objectives are to explain fluctuations in black student political activity as influenced by the organization of the campus and competition between racial norms among blacks reflecting on the dilemma posed for the black struggle by increases in the number of college-educated blacks. (EH)