Student Activism in the Student Activism in the 1960s1960s

I. IntroI. Intro

Student movement existed before Student movement existed before the escalation in Vietnamthe escalation in Vietnam

Went through 3 phases:Went through 3 phases:• Early 1960s Early 1960s • Mid-1960sMid-1960s• Late 1960sLate 1960s

II. Origins of the New Left II. Origins of the New Left First noticed by the mass First noticed by the mass

media in SF in 1960: first media in SF in 1960: first mass demonstration in 20 mass demonstration in 20 yearsyears

Triggered by HUAC special-Triggered by HUAC special-hearing to investigate hearing to investigate communism in Bay Areacommunism in Bay Area• Film: Operation AbolitionFilm: Operation Abolition

About 1,000 UCB students About 1,000 UCB students protestedprotested

Police turned fire hoses on protestors

Signs of movement across the countrySigns of movement across the country 1962: come together to form Students for 1962: come together to form Students for

a Democratic Society (SDS)a Democratic Society (SDS) Port Huron Statement:Port Huron Statement: ““We are people of this generation, bred in We are people of this generation, bred in

at least modest comfort, housed now in at least modest comfort, housed now in universities, looking uncomfortably to the universities, looking uncomfortably to the world we inherit. world we inherit. When we were kids the United States was When we were kids the United States was the wealthiest and strongest country in the wealthiest and strongest country in the world; the only one with the atom the world; the only one with the atom bomb, the least scarred by modern war, bomb, the least scarred by modern war, an initiator of the United Nations that we an initiator of the United Nations that we thought would distribute Western thought would distribute Western influence throughout the world. Freedom influence throughout the world. Freedom and equality for each individual, and equality for each individual, government of, by, and for the people - government of, by, and for the people - these American values we found good, these American values we found good, principles by which we could live as men. principles by which we could live as men. Many of us began maturing in Many of us began maturing in complacency.” complacency.”

In a participatory democracy, the political life would In a participatory democracy, the political life would be based in several root principles: be based in several root principles: ...that politics be seen positively, as the art of ...that politics be seen positively, as the art of collectively creating an acceptable pattern of social collectively creating an acceptable pattern of social relations; relations; ...that politics has the function of bringing people out ...that politics has the function of bringing people out of isolation and into community, thus being a of isolation and into community, thus being a necessary, though not sufficient, means of finding necessary, though not sufficient, means of finding meaning in personal life… meaning in personal life…

The economic sphere would have as its basis the The economic sphere would have as its basis the principles: principles: ...that work should involve incentives worthier than ...that work should involve incentives worthier than money or survival. It should be educative, not money or survival. It should be educative, not stultifying; creative, not mechanical; self-directed, stultifying; creative, not mechanical; self-directed, not manipulated, encouraging independence, a not manipulated, encouraging independence, a respect for others, a sense of dignity, and a respect for others, a sense of dignity, and a willingness to accept social responsibility, since it is willingness to accept social responsibility, since it is this experience that has crucial influence on habits, this experience that has crucial influence on habits, perceptions and individual ethics… perceptions and individual ethics…

New LeftNew Left

Self-identified as New LeftSelf-identified as New Left• Liberals want to work within the system, Liberals want to work within the system,

implicitly accept systemimplicitly accept system• Leftists: work outside system; basic, Leftists: work outside system; basic,

radical change at root of systemradical change at root of system• ““New”: not communist/USSRNew”: not communist/USSR

III. Impact of the CRM: Berkeley, III. Impact of the CRM: Berkeley, 19641964

1963: Mario Savio and 1963: Mario Savio and others protest discrim. in others protest discrim. in Bay Area (hotel hiring)Bay Area (hotel hiring) anger businesses (Oakland anger businesses (Oakland Tribune)Tribune) pressure UCB pressure UCB admin.admin. no discussion of no discussion of “outside issues” on campus“outside issues” on campus

Free Speech Movement Free Speech Movement (FSM) to protest silencing: (FSM) to protest silencing: unified wide range of unified wide range of groups (anti-apartheid, groups (anti-apartheid, feminist, civil rights, anti-feminist, civil rights, anti-war, Youth for Goldwater)war, Youth for Goldwater)

Some radical Some radical tactics (civil tactics (civil disobedience, sit-disobedience, sit-ins in buildings) but ins in buildings) but moderate goalsmoderate goals

Gain support of Gain support of faculty and force faculty and force administration to administration to give in to their give in to their demandsdemands

Attracted kooks to Attracted kooks to Berkeley who Berkeley who thought FSM was thought FSM was about violence, about violence, drugs, and a good drugs, and a good timetime hippies and hippies and Reagan’s “the Reagan’s “the mess at Berkeley”mess at Berkeley”

IV. Impact of Vietnam: Columbia, IV. Impact of Vietnam: Columbia, 19681968

June 1965: threat of draftJune 1965: threat of draft student student movement primarily about warmovement primarily about war

Columbia, 1968: war research on campusColumbia, 1968: war research on campus

Two issues:Two issues: 1) no more war research1) no more war research 2) racism of the university (property in 2) racism of the university (property in

Harlem)Harlem) Saw two connected: racist imperialismSaw two connected: racist imperialism

Kill the “brain” of Kill the “brain” of the monsterthe monster

How? Shut down How? Shut down the universitythe university seize buildings, seize buildings, strike, shut down strike, shut down classesclasses

Mark RuddMark Rudd

Madison, WI (Berkeley of Mid Madison, WI (Berkeley of Mid West)West)

Sep. 7, 1970: “Okay pigs, Sep. 7, 1970: “Okay pigs, now listen and listen good. now listen and listen good. There's a bomb in the There's a bomb in the Army Math Research Army Math Research CenterCenter—the university——the university—set to go off in five set to go off in five minutes. Clear the minutes. Clear the building. Warn the building. Warn the hospital. This is no bull—, hospital. This is no bull—, man.” man.”

OK City style: van OK City style: van w/fertilizer: kills Physics w/fertilizer: kills Physics grad students + Madison grad students + Madison anti-war movementanti-war movement• Response to Response to Kent StateKent State

massacremassacre

V. Delegitimizing Protest: Nixon’s V. Delegitimizing Protest: Nixon’s “Silent Majority”“Silent Majority”

1968 Democratic National 1968 Democratic National Convention, ChicagoConvention, Chicago

Anti-war Protestors sought to Anti-war Protestors sought to enter Conventionenter Convention beaten by beaten by police + National Guardpolice + National Guard

Images most rabid, unruly Images most rabid, unruly protesters—inevitably focus protesters—inevitably focus television coverage—best television coverage—best possible Republican counter-spin possible Republican counter-spin (Pat Buchanan) (Pat Buchanan)

+ 1968 race riots+ 1968 race riots Nixon “law Nixon “law and order”/”silent majority” and order”/”silent majority” victory, demise mainstream Left, victory, demise mainstream Left, seriously scars Democratic Party seriously scars Democratic Party to today (Solid South, Dems soft to today (Solid South, Dems soft on defense)on defense)

Weather UndergroundWeather Underground

SDS splinterSDS splinter