This project documents the experiences, background, and life trajectories of participants in “the Movement,” the term used by group leaders to describe a diverse collection of activists that coalesced at and around Stanford University from about 1963 to 1973, especially although not exclusively in opposition to the Vietnam War. Project organizers aim to further document the Movement’s political objectives and activities and its social and cultural milieu; to illuminate the interconnections between various activist groups and issues; and to share lessons learned with new generations of activists. They also hope to record the impact of the events of that time on participants’ personal identities, careers, and ongoing political involvement as well as their impact on Stanford and the surrounding community.

The project steering committee was comprised of: Janet Cooper Alexander, Margie Cohn, Art Eisenson, Jeanne Friedman, David Pugh, Merle Rabine, Dave Ransom, Lenny Siegel, and Marc Weiss. Merle Rabine served as project coordinator.

Support for this and other Stanford Community History Toolkit projects was provided by the Stanford Associates, the Stanford Historical Society, and the Stanford University Archives.

David Harris (Class of 1967) reflects on his undergraduate years at Stanford in the 1960s, focusing on his time as student body president and the factors that shaped his work as an activist in both the civil rights movement in Mississippi and the movement against the Vietnam War. He also shares memories of the time he spent in prison for draft resistance and offers his impressions on politics and Stanford today. A transcript of the interview is available here.