Anonymous racist letters received by many NIU administrators and student leaders in December might have a connection with the racist newspaper, Thunderbolt, found on Greek Row last fall.

At least eight people have received copies of the letters. These eight people were named in articles printed in The Northern Star when Thunderbolt was distributed at NIU.

Thunderbolt, subtitled “News Suppressed by the Daily Press,” was distributed to several NIU fraternities and sororities by unknown persons last September. The 20-page publication was edited by Dr. E.R. Fields in Marietta, Ga.

Larry Robertson, Student Association minority relations adviser, received one of the notes. He said, “I had picked up on the possible tie with Thunderbolt.”

“It seems we (people who received letters) were leaders in the movement to get rid of Thunderbolt. I think the letter’s writers thought they might as well harass the people who were harrassing them the most,” Robertson said.

Most of the letters have been turned over to University Legal Counsel and the Postal Inspection Service for investigation.

George Shur, University Legal Counsel director, said there were actually two separate racist letters involved, apparently from different sources.

“One is clearly from white supremacists and makes general threats concerning Black History Month,” Shur said. He said the letter was handprinted, and stated, in part, “Militant white nationalists will spread the truth.”

Shur said the other note was typed and was “virulently anti-semitic and anti-black.”

Michelle Emmett, director of University Programming and Activities, said she received copies of both of the letters. She said, “One was printed material from a white supremacist group, and the other made a definite reference to Thunderbolt and my role” in the paper’s suppression.

InterFraternity Council President Tom Zur said he also received one of the typed letters, postmarked Nov. 13 from Michigan. He said his letter was “awkwardly written” and also made direct reference to Thunderbolt.

Zur said his letter urged him not to waste his time “trying to track down and destroy copies of The Thunderbolt and similar literature, because for every copy you obliterate, at least five more will be duplicated.”

He said, “The letter had no specific threats, just derogatory terms. It was ridiculous.”

Carroll Varner, assistant director for Technical Services, said he might have received his copy of the typed racist note because of his involvement with the NIU Founder’s Library. “The library is still on the Thunderbolt subscription list. We still have Thunderbolt behind the desk because it represents a particular viewpoint. Instead of removing materials for their viewpoints, we try to present materials of other views.”

Jon Dalton, vice president for student affairs, said he was concerned about the attention given to the letters. “I just don’t want it to be viewed out of perspective.”

NIU President John LaTourette and his assistant Kenneth Beasley also received copies of the letter.

Two people named in articles about Thunderbolt’s distribution, Pam Bozeman, Black Student Union president, and Dave Fisher, Phi Kappa Theta pledge educator, could not be reached to comment on whether they also received letters.

Robertson said, “I feel it’s important that the student body knows what’s going on so they may recognize and report any similar behavior.”