The article recounts the pivotal events of the Berkeley Free Speech Movement that started in 1964 when graduate student Jack Weinberg was arrested for political activities. His arrest led to spontaneous student protests, a mass sit-in, and a strike that paralyzed the campus. Joan Baez played a key role in rallying students, while tensions escalated between the university administration and campus police. University President Clark Kerr aimed for de-escalation but was undermined by his chancellor, leading to further confrontations with student leaders like Mario Savio. The movement significantly shaped campus activism in the 1960s.
The police arrived just as students were pouring out of their classes for lunch. When they saw Weinberg being shoved into the car, they spontaneously sat down around it and refused to move.
Weinberg’s arrest was followed by a mass sit-in at the administration building, headed by Joan Baez, who sang We Shall Overcome as she led more than 800 students into Sproul Hall.
University President Clark Kerr was anxious to settle the crisis before it got even more out of hand, ordering campus police to keep their hands off protesters.
Mario Savio emerged as one of the students' leaders, and when he mounted the stage to announce an upcoming rally, cops pounced on him.
Collection
[
|
...
]