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  CLAIRE ZUGMEYER Bunche Hall is named after Ralph J. Bunche, a UCLA alumnus who won the Nobel Peace Prize. He died in 1971.

By Bethany Tang

Daily Bruin Contributor

As conflict in the Middle East rages on, the idea of a peace there may seem remote. Yet, 50 years ago, UCLA alumnus Ralph Bunche created peace there, at least for a short time.

Dec. 10 marks the 50th anniversary of Bunche’s Nobel Peace Prize for his peacemaking efforts as former under secretary for special political affairs.

“I’m sure he would be pained to read today’s headlines,” said John Sandbrook, assistant provost of the College of Letters and Science.

Bunche, who died in 1971, received the prize for negotiating peace in the Arab-Israeli War which started in 1948 and continues today.

Bunche was the chief U.N. mediator between Palestinians and Israelis after the former mediator was assassinated in 1948.

“You read about the loss of life,” Sandbrook said about the Israeli-Arab relations. “It was something Bunche worked on 50 years ago to establish a framework (for peace) there.”

Peter Taylor, Bunche’s nephew and former University of California regent, knows Bunche has made a huge impact in the world.

“There is daily trouble now in the Middle East,” Taylor said. “It is nice knowing that once there was an effort to strive for peace in that area.”

  UCLA Archives UCLA alumnus Ralph Bunche received the Nobel Peace Prize 50 years ago on Dec. 10 for negotiating peace in the Arab-Israeli War. Bunche grew up in South Central Los Angeles and was an orphan who supported himself at UCLA. He went on to graduate summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa and valedictorian in 1927. Bunche also wrote for the Daily Bruin and was a basketball star for the Bruins.

“Bunche is one of UCLA’s most celebrated alumni; one of it’s most famous black alumni,” said Richard Yarborough, director of the Center for African American Studies.

Some of Bunche’s other accomplishments include completing a doctorate in political science at Harvard and being a professor at Howard University and serving as U.N. Secretariat.

In honor of the anniversary, the Center for African American studies will be sponsoring a screening on campus of a documentary titled “Ralph Bunche: An American Odyssey.”

But even with the impact Bunche left at UCLA, the country, and the whole world, some students either don’t know about or have forgotten Bunche’s accomplishments

“Honestly, unless the documentary was shown to me I don’t think I would make time to see it,” said Anna Park, third-year sociology and psychology student.

“He does not have any personal meaning to me,” Park continued. “If I knew more about his life I would more likely go.”

Sandbrook said he hopes people will learn about Bunche and his accomplishments.

“Anyone at UCLA should understand Ralph Bunche was important in international relations and world peace,” he said.

In 1970s, Bunche Hall was named after him, which houses the history, economics, international studies and oversees programs, and political science departments.

The Ralph Bunche Scholarship Fund is the second largest scholarship pool for first-year students. The scholarship is directed toward underrepresented groups.

There is also going to be an endowment chair to honor Bunche.

“Half a million dollars will be given to a professor in political science to do research in the same area that Bunche studied,” Taylor said.

Even with his accomplishments, Bunche was very humble when he was awarded gifts.

When he was awarded the Nobel Prize, he turned it down at first according to Brian Urquhart’s book “Ralph Bunche: An American Life.”

Bunche did not want to accept an award given because he was simply doing his job, but eventually his co-workers convinced him to accept it.

Taylor said even when Bunche went through many different experiences, Bunche would still talk about his times at UCLA.

“He was very passionate about UCLA,” Taylor said. “He helped with fund raising and recruited students, professors and other staff members to UCLA.”

When Taylor was young, Bunche took him on a tour of the U.N. and told him tales of things he did at work.

Not only was Bunche a huge Bruins fan, he was also a huge Dodger’s fan, Taylor said. While at the U.N., they would give him an earphone in order to hear in English what the speakers were saying. During the Dodger games however, Bunche would change his earphone channel to the game so he would not miss any of the action.

The free documentary screening of Bunche will be Jan. 29; a Q&A with its director William Greaves will follow. The showing is open to all students, who are required to RSVP.

“We want this to be a large event,” Yarborough said. “But not just a chance to see the film, but also to come in celebration of Bunche.”

The documentary will air Feb. 2 on PBS as part of Black History Month Yarborough said.

Through the documentary Taylor hopes people will learn from Bunche and his dedication which he talks to his children about.

“He, like Jackie Robinson and Carol Burnett, came in with the same sense of trepidation coming into UCLA,” Taylor said.

“But with a lot of hard work and effort, you realize you can do great things.”