The War Comes Home (GWU November 2019 Program)

"The War Comes Home:

Moratorium and Mobilization, 1969"

A panel on the 50th anniversary of the largest

peace demonstration in US. History 

Video here

https://youtu.be/RzSatmj0Tjg

The New York Times  retrospectively described November 15, 1969, as, "the largest antiwar protest in United States history when as many as half a million people attended a mostly peaceful demonstration in Washington." 

It was preceded by the March Against Death that began on the evening of November 13th.  During the next forty hours 45,000 people walked single file  from the west end of the Arlington Memorial Bridge wearing on a placard the name of a US soldier from their state who died in Vietnam or the name of a village that had been destroyed.  Each name was called out in front of the White House and the placard was deposited in a coffin at the Capitol Building. 

The briefing offers an opportunity to meet people who took part for inclusion in or background to 50th anniversary coverage.


Wednesday, November 13, 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM, Room 505, Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University, 1957 E St. NW, Washington, D.C.

Panel Discussion: The War Comes Home:  Moratorium and Mobilization, 1969

Clara Bingham, author "Witness to the Revolution:  Radicals, Resisters, Vets, Hippies and the Year America Lost Its Mind and Found Its Soul"

Dr. Mary (Munchen) Posner, organizer of the Moratorium demonstration on October 15, 1969, at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, and of a contingent in the November 15th Mobilization in Washington.  NBC Nightly News on February 25, 1970, broadcast a feature story about Ball State's anti-war activity that featured Mary (click here).

Rev. Richard Fernandez, founder of Clergy & Laity Concerned about Vietnam, organizer of the March Against Death

Robert Levering, staff of New Mobilization Committee, responsible for training 5,000 marshals

Anne Gallivan, Lessons of the 60's (Washington oral history project), Vietnam Peace Commemoration Committee (VPCC)

Martha Norman, Baltimore civil rights and peace activist, Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee

Moderator: John McAuliff, member of New Mobilization Steering Committee, founder of the Fund for Reconciliation and Development, VPCC Coordinator

The panel is part of a week of activities at George Washington University "Waging Peace in Vietnam: U.S. Soldiers and Veterans who Opposed the War"  that culminates in a Friday evening walk and vigil at the White House commemorating the March Against Death.  The full program can be seen here

The march and vigil will begin at 6 p.m. November 15th at the Elliott School and will include Peter Yarrow who performed at the November Mobilization with Peter, Paul and Mary; Rev. Richard Fernandez and Dr. Mary Posner.

Ron Young was the National Coordinator of the November Mobilization.  The section from his memoir about it and the March Against Death can be read here.