1965: SELMA & VIETNAM
MALCOM X ASSASSINATED
Killed on February 21, 1965 by 3 members of the Nation of Islam. He was a Black Muslim minister who advocated the use of violence against whites and opposed the nonviolent message of Dr. Martin Luther King . (watch video of BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY speech 5:09)
BLOODY SUNDAY
March from Selma to Montgomery begins on Sunday March 7, 1965 and is stopped with violence. (watch video 3:29)
March from Selma to Montgomery
After court fight, and failed second attempt and guarded by National Guard and U S Army troops, MLK leads 3rd March and arrives in Montgomery on March 25, 1965
VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965
The march from Selma to Montgomery results in a new law which provides for federal protection of the "ability" to actually vote. Rosa Parks and Reverend Martin Luther King Jr attend the signing ceremony on August 6th. (watch video: history of BLACK voting rights 3:03).
U S Combat troops arrive in Vietnam on March 8, 1965
On March 8, 1965 the first 3,500 combat troops land in Vietnam. 2,709,918 troops would arrive by 1973. 58,148 Americans would be killed, 304,000 wounded. and 1,611 are still Missing in Action President LBJ describes why the U S "is in VIETNAM." (7:00 video). LBJ doubles draft to 35,000 per month.
Protests against the war begin EIGHT days later at The University of Michigan
SDS, a socialist group organized in Ann Arbor, begins the PROTESTS against the Vietnam War by holding the first "TEACH IN" at the University of Michigan on March 16, 1965.
The movement is led by U of M faculty and spreads to more than 120 other Universities. April 17, 1965 SDS organizes March on Washington and 15,000-20,000 people march. ALICE'S RESTAURANT by Arlo Gutherie
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1965
SDS and "TEACH INS"
SDS, Students for a Democratic Society, was formed at the University of Michigan in 1960 by TOM HAYDEN, the editor of the student newspaper "The Michigan Daily, and BILL AYERS, a student at U of M and founder of "The Weathermen."
By the school year 1962-1963 SDS had chapters at 9 Universities including Columbia, & U C Berkeley.
SDS held its first convention in 1962 and criticized the political system of the U S AND issued the PORT UTON STAMENT
(watch video interview with Tom Hayden 5:37)
The first TEACH IN against the Vietnam War was held at the University of Michigan on March 24-25, 1965 which was only 8 days after the first U S combat troops arrived in Vietnam.
The Teach In occupied Michigan's largest building, Angell Hall, and lasted all day and night. It was a series of Lectures followed by a Question & Answer Period.
It was copied by 35 Universities within a week and 85 more Universities by the end of 1965.
Teach Ins continued until the end of the Vietnam War
FACULTY INVOLVEMENT
A select group of University Professors formed the "Faculty Committee to Stop the War in Vietnam."
They considered a "Work Moratorium" or a "Strike." but were warned by the administration and Governor Romney no to stop work.
58 professors signed "An Appeal to Our Students" asking the students to attend the "Teach IN."