The National Student Coalition Against Racism (NSCAR) had its origins among supporters of a march against racism held in Boston on December 13 and 14, 1974. As the Student Committee for the December 14th March, the group organized student support for the march and teach-in; from this gathering
was formed NSCAR, which held its first national conference February 14-16, 1975. This meeting of 250 students representing numerous college campuses and campus organizations, proclaimed as goals for the organization the defense of minority rights, especially school busing, school desegregation, and equal educational opportunities. Second and third national conferences were held, as well as marches, and strategy and protest meetings; many of these were centered in Boston, site of NSCAR headquarters, and also of many attacks on minority rights during these years. Coalition members included the Young Socialist Alliance (YSA) and the Young Workers Liberation League (YWLL), the latter being the United States affiliate of the World Federation of Democratic Youth.
NSCAR leaders Hattie McCutcheon and Maceo Dixon expanded the group's activities to include defense work for Joan Little and other black political prisoners, and opposition to South African apartheid. These leaders held press conferences, published a newspaper and a newsletter, and maintained a speakers' bureau. Local chapters of the organization were established in cities and on campuses throughout the country. The present headquarters of NSCAR are located in New York City.
