In the 1960’s, tensions around free speech, civil rights, and the Vietnam War were growing at the University of California, Berkeley. Students were organizing politically and becoming increasingly emboldened in their expressions of outrage through civil disobedience. The 1960’s Berkeley protests represented the largest organized student demonstrations to date, drawing unprecedented numbers, producing tangible results, and laying the groundwork for university protest movements to come.
In this week’s post, we explore the 1960’s Berkeley protests alongside the Berkeley 1968-1973 Poster Collection. These posters were originally donated in 1979 by Helmut Jung of Gold River, BC and are available through UBC’s Open Collections.
“Don’t Mourn: Organize Toward a Joyous Future” (Creator Unknown)
The posters originate from the University of California, Berkeley and surrounding areas, and were produced on a variety of paper types, including computer paper, poster paper, and cardboard paper. They are eye-catching and evocative, and give the viewer a glimpse into the political tension and tumult of the era from the perspective of activist groups and political organizers.
“Unite Against the War” (Creator Unknown)
The posters in this collection vary in style: some are hand drawn and illustrative, while others employ collage and include photographic elements. Many use provocative language to emphasize their creator’s frustration, while others promote pacifistic messages of peace. These posters, however, all have one thing in common: they are fascinating time capsules of the countercultural political ideals from this particular era, and some might even feel relevant in current political climate.
“Did We Really Come in Peace for All Mankind?” (Creator: Robin Temaiana Repp)
History of Protest at University of California, Berkeley
The political demonstrations that occurred on and around the University of California’s Berkeley campus in the 1960’s took different approaches and had varying goals. The largest and most influential of these demonstrations was the Free Speech Movement, a months-long political action that began in September 1964. The Free Speech Movement was catalyzed by a campus-wide ban on political organizing, and culminated in a jaw-dropping 32-hour non-violent human blockade around a police car.
The posters in the Berkeley Poster Collection were created a few years after the Free Speech Movement, and so do not speak to the movement directly. However, they draw upon the very principles the movement aimed to defend, urging the viewer to exercise their freedom of speech and “speak out” against injustice.
“Speak Out” (Creator Unknown)
Many of the political protests during this time centered around the Vietnam War. “Stop the Draft” Week in 1967 attempted to disrupt the conscription process, while the Vietnam Day Committee organized many anti-war marches throughout the late 1960’s.
“Unity in Our Love of Man” (Creator Unknown)
We see this resistance to the Vietnam War represented in many of the posters in the collection, demonstrating broader anti-war sentiments as well as more nuanced critiques. Common themes include military disengagement, criticism of President Nixon, and sympathy for Vietnamese civilians.
“Security is a Silent Majority” (Creator Unknown)
The Berkeley Posters, Then and Now
Though it’s now decades later, we see some of these posters’ themes—dissatisfaction with the president, threats to democracy, American military intervention—represented in current political discourse. This collection’s significance is twofold: it illuminates the political ideals of its era, while highlighting the perseverance of some of those same political ideals today.
“War No More” (Creator Unknown)
Perhaps these similarities reveal a cynical truth: that we, as a society, have allowed history to repeat itself. But they also remind us of the power of the common people, and of their resilience in continuing to fight against systemic injustice. And while it may seem trite, the overwhelming number of posters within the Berkeley Poster Collection that simply call for peace remind us that the human desire for peace is timeless and enduring. This quest for peace, while ongoing, is not a fool’s errand. Rather, it is a legacy left by those who fought for justice before us, and one that we must continue to pursue.
“Let There Be Peace and Let it Begin With Me” (Creator: Robin Temaiana Repp)
