04/05/2023
This guy, Sonny Maton, started the BKE --- he has a book on Amazon about how the BKE started.... we should have honored him (back when we started).
Aye Aye Aye
This is a story that has regional interest for persons connected to Charleston, Illinois and Eastern Illinois University. Set in the post-Korean War era, this novel is mainly a biographical tale centered on the early history of a unique student veteran's organization, "The Black Knights of the Embarrass." Having attended EIU in the late 60s and a few years later returning to live there in the community another twenty years, I'm familiar with the legendary stories about the BKE and the locations for the novel's events. I first heard tales of the Black Knights from Walt Warmoth (owner of Little Walt's campus hangout). I also had a college roommate who joined the BKE in 1967 and gathered some impressions of his experiences too. Sonny Maton was an early member of the Black Knights in the Fifties; therefore his novel should be accurate, however it seems lacking in a full disclosure in places. Identities are sometimes thinly disguised yet several people are identified in the photo section. Most evident is the 'chaste' demeanor portrayed for members of the group made up primarily of Korean War veterans. BKE was noted for their anti-establishment stance, their defiance of attempted controls by university administration, and infamous drinking and 'Cornfield Relays' parties held at the Airtight Bridge area. I recognize that participants are now senior citizens and grandparents today, but also they were real people - - not that different from veterans of other wars and non-traditional college students of other times. The book is a little too squeaky-clean for me in places. The author is the person who got in the face of President Quincy Doudna, and the BKE group is one that Dean Anfinson actively sought to identify members and discipline. http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2206&dat=19580517&id=FXozAAAAIBAJ&... Still this is a recommended read for EIU alumni. (lj)
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eduscapes | May 22, 2010 |
A fictional novel base on the true story of the secret society that evolved at Eastern Illinois University at Charleston, Illinois in the middle 1950’s. And what that society was all about and why it actually came about
SonnyMaton | Mar 11, 2008 |
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