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“The River of No Return” by Cleveland Sellers prominently features discrimination and racism as the main focus of the story. It heavily features wrongful accusations and sentencing of young black americans across the country for simply trying to fight for their rights. Cleveland and many others knowingly put their lives on the line in the pursuit of Freedom. Oswego, too, has had its share of people who risk everything for fighting for equality.

People like Mary E. Walker who was the first female surgeon during the civil war. She is the only woman to have received the Medal of honor. She was also an abolitionist and strong supporter of women's suffrage. Many times she was turned down to be a doctor because she wa a woman. She was inducted into the women's hall of fame in 2000 and the Walker Health Center on campus is named after her. Her actions helped many women to gain the right to vote and opened many eyes to people of all races and genders to universal equality.

The main organization that is featured in the book is the group known as SNCC . Other groups such as the NAACP and the Black Panther Party are also featured. But are there reasons as to why racism is still present despite many efforts? Actually there could be many reasons.

One reason could be that people who are usually in the majority are cautious of people in minority groups. A major group in this ,of course, are african americans. In the book police officers arrest many african americans simply for being present at rallys or even just walking near one. This doesn't just affect african americans though. It has also proven to be true in other areas and ethinities from around the world. Like Anglo-Australian and Natives Australians, or even religion like the english Catholics and Protestants of the 16th centuries. Many of these groups suffered through persecution and even mass expulsion from their lands. Below is the racial demographics of Oswego and it’s clear that whites hold the majority.

Racial Demographic of Oswego (As of 2016)

White- 89.4% / Black- 1.2% / Asian- 1.1% / Hispanic- 4.6% / Other- 2.1%

All places have interesting and important histories behind them that can shape a people and even guide nations to the path that they have taken to this day. Cleveland Sellers himself travels all throughout the south, from Mississippi, to Alabama, and the Carolinas. At each stop along his journey he unites the people to his cause and joins alongside them in protests, rallys, and even riots. Oswego is no different, and has a fascinating history that has helped shape upstate New York.

History of Oswego

Oswego was first founded by the Iroquois native Americans. They set up villages along the river and lake and in fact the name Oswego means “Pouring out place” because of the river pouring into the lake which connects to other great lakes and the ocean.

When the Europeans colonised they quickly set up their own towns and villages because Oswego provided an important trade route and a fort was set up. They expelled many of locals from their land and treated the natives with discrimination. Several centuries later and slavery was proving to be a massive issue for the US. Before the civil war the city of Oswego generally supported abolitionism like many states in the north did. Oswego was also heavily used by the underground railroad. Throughout the 1800s thousands of black slaves used the town as a place to hide and a place to find ships that would sail them into Canada.Many houses in Oswego offered shelter and food to slaves who escaped and many of these places are still around today and have been turned into museums.In fact many escaped slaves would settle down in Oswego and would become permanent residents. But even in the North many blacks were treated not as fairly as the whites. While whites in Oswego could become businessmen, lawyers, or doctors. Many blacks had to settle for less lucrative jobs, like barbers or sailors. Just like cleveland Sellers says in his book, many of the blacks lived in poverty and did not have the same living conditions as whites. Cleveland himself lived better than most other blacks but that was because his father worked very hard to do so. He had to work several jobs just to raise enough money to pay for his house. This has happened to other groups in history as well such as people who are Jewish.

In 1944 the US set up the Fort Ontario Emergency Refugee Shelter known as “Safe Haven”. It housed 982 European refugees, many being Jewish. However they did not have a lot a freedom. Mail was censored, they were kept from leaving the camp, were not allowed in town, the US had no intention of health care and were generally uninterested in giving them anymore the the basic necessities. The quarantine was eventually lifted and the refugees were allowed to enter the city.

Racism at Oswego

So why is there still racism, even at places like Owego? Were Cleveland Sellers and his groups actions all for nothing? Well no place is racist free. Everyone's a little racist whether they realize it or not. Some people are oblivious to if they make a racist remark. But there are others who know what they’re saying and still say it anyway. It's these people that groups like SNCC , NAACP, and many others tried to stop. They were largely successful in getting rid of the majority of the racism that plagued the country. Because of his and tens of thousands of others, places have been set up to try and help people who are still experiencing discrimination. In Oswego if someone is or sees someone being discriminated they can file a report to the office of civil rights. They can email them at OCR.NewYork@ed.gov or call them at (646)-428-3800. If they want to talk with someone on campus they can see Howard Gordon (at 707 Culkin Hall) or Lisa Evaneski (405 Culkin Hall). Howard is Oswego's Interim Affirmative action officer and Lisa is a Title 9 Coordinator.

The biggest reason why people are racist in the first place that they don’t look at individual people but rather the group as a whole. This brings out stereotypes. This is very true in Cleveland’s time as it was largely an issue of “us” or “them”. If someone was even caught associating with SNCC or anybody else they could risk getting arrested, or even killed. But no one is the same and if people look at each other for who we are instead of what we are, the world may be more equal.. Cleveland himself says at the end “I believe that Dr King was eminently correct when he said, “ The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice”.