The PSU Student Strike: A Legacy of Collaboration and Nonviolent Protest
Date
2024
Authors
Wittmann, Sarah
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Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Oregon
Abstract
Although an important and crucial aspect of Oregon’s history, there is a lack of academic attention devoted to the antiwar movement at Oregon campuses. This thesis is an in-depth analysis of the antiwar movement at Portland State University from 1967 to 1971. Over those five years, multiple student organizations formed on campus with the goal of ending the war. Although ideologies varied among and within groups, a level of collaboration existed at Portland State that was unseen on a national scale, due in large part to the small size of PSU’s antiwar movement. As the antiwar movement fell apart, and growing frustrations led many to consider violence, activists at Portland State committed to working together despite ideological differences. This resulted in a nonviolent movement, incredibly significant at the time and today. This thesis utilizes oral history interviews, newspaper articles, and contemporary literature to tell the story of this movement.
Description
Keywords
Antiwar movement, Student movement, Vietnam, Social movement, 1960s