Free Speech Movement (NEA Grant 2010-2011)

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Student Free Speech Movement, 1964

Free Speech Movement, 1964: For the first time ever the entire tape inventory documenting this historic movement has been preserved and is now available. Hear the voices of Mario Savio, Art Goldberg, Bettina Aptheker and the students who took a stand against oppression.

All tapes are presumed copyright of the Pacifica Radio Archives and have been made available for public consumption unless otherwise noted. If you have any inquiries concerning the copyright status of any of the tapes listed below, please contact Brian DeShazor, director of the Pacifica Radio Archives, at (818) 506-1077 x263.

Thanks to Gary Handman and the U.C. Berkeley Moffit Library Media Resource Center for partnering with us on this subject since 1999. Visit their site for more information.


Free speech movement: sounds and songs of the demonstrations, produced by Stan Axelrod

Documentary on the free speech movement of the sixties. Broadcast: 1965-03-10, WBAI. Archive #BC2192.

Sit-in inside Sproul Hall: October 1, 1964

Actuality of student protest against new campus rules at University of California, Berkeley. Broadcast: KPFA. Archive #BD0016.02A.

The car top rally

Actuality of student protest against new campus rules at University of California, Berkeley. Broadcast: KPFA. Sample audio available below. Complete information about all 12 parts of the series: Archive #BD0016.02B, BD0016.02C, BD0016.02D, BD0016.03C, BD0016.02E, BD0016.02F, BD0016.02G, BD0016.02I, BD0016.02J, BD0016.02H, BD0016.03D, BD0016.03E, BD0016.03G, BD0016.03F.

Listen to:

Report of FSM march through campus from Sproul Plaza to Regents office and performances by Joan Baez, November 20, 1964

A report is given on the union picket line around University Hall in Millman's Union. Joan Baez sings All My Trials, There But for Fortune, Donna Donna, and Blowing in the Wind. Broadcast: KPFA. Archive #AZ1381.

Sproul Hall sit-in: December 2-3, 1964

Part 1: Student demands and arrests. On December 2, 1964, students involved in sit-in of Sproul Hall are arrested. Speakers discuss the differences between current arrest scene conducted by Berkeley police and earlier aggressive arrests by California Highway Patrol. Broadcast: KPFA. Archive #AZ1379.

Part 2: December 2, 1964. Josiah Beeman, State President of the California Young Democrats and legislative assistant to Congressman Phil Burton, addresses the rally. He expresses support of campus Young Democrat clubs across the state for FSM. Broadcast: / KPFA. Archive #AZ1380.

Parts 3 and 4: December 2, 1964. Broadcast: KPFA. Archive #AZ1382.

Part 5: December 3, 1964. A speaker begins by giving instructions in preparation for arrests. Savio announces that Bob Treuhaft, an FSM legal advisor, has been arrested without specific charges. [Track 1 and 2 repeat AZ1382A.] Broadcast: KPFA. Archive #AZ1383.

Part 6: Actuality recorded at the sit-in at U.C. Berkeley's Sproul Hall, December 3, 1964 at approximately 3:00AM. Broadcast: KPFA. Archive #AZ1385.

Noon Rally following Sproul Hall Sit-in on Sproul Steps, December 3, 1964

On December 3, 1964 at noon, Professor John Leggett of the Sociology Department speaks about the administration decisions and reaction to student arrests at the Sproul Hall sit-in. Police come out of Sproul Hall door and push their way through crowds in front of Sproul Hall where six faculty members confront the police. Broadcast: KPFA.
Archive #AZ1386.

Report from Emergency Faculty Meeting with Burton White with Jerry Jenkin, December 3, 1964

Burton White calls an emergency faculty meeting. Jerry Jenkin reports on the situation in Sproul Hall. An onsite recording of arrests by CHP and Alameda Sheriffs in Sproul Hall takes place as students are being pushed and thrown down the stairs. Broadcast: KPFA. Archive #AZ1384.

Free Speech Movement Press Conference, December 4, 1964

Steve Weisman reports on pickets at State Capitol and delegation of FSM representatives and others who were not received by governor, protests at UC Davis in support of FSM, and demands that Governor Brown not press charges against arrested demonstrators.Broadcast: KPFA. Archive #AZ1387.

Grover Krantz talks about the December 3rd arrests at Sproul Hall

Grover Krantz, a museum technician from the U.C. Berkeley campus, is interviewed in the KPFA studios. Krantz reports that there was no activity going on when he was arrested because "police were apparently taking a break from 12:00 to 1:00 on dragging students down [the stairs]." Free Speech Movement, December 6, 1964. Broadcast: KPFA. Archive #AZ1388.

Larry Kropp talks about the December 3rd arrests at Sproul Hall

Larry Kropp, a Math TA at U.C. Berkeley, describes the protesters' and police officers' behavior at Sproul Hall during the arrests. He says that the protesters were peaceful and did not resist arrest. Broadcast: KPFA. Archive #AZ1389.

Mario Savio and Clark Kerr on UC Berkeley campus, December 7, 1964

Reporter, Bert, collects miscellaneous student commentary from around the UC Berkeley campus, then reads the handbill from University Student for Law and Order. Following at the Greek Theater podium, Mario Savio expresses his thoughts on Kerr's attempt to preempt the Academic Senate, which voted to support the Freedom of Speech Movement (FSM). Broadcast: / KPFA. Archive #AZ1375.

Noon Rally, Sproul Hall after Greek Theater, December 7, 1964

Part 1: Bettina Aptheker speaks on the event at the Greek Theater with President Kerr and Mario Savio. Professor Robert L. Baloof, chairman of Speech Deptartment, states his opinion on the Free Speech Movement and encourages students to not lose sight of substantial change in their deliberations. This recording chronologically precedes AZ1393. Broadcast: KPFA. Archive #AZ1394.

Part 2: Philosophy Professor Joseph Tussman addresses the crowd about the faculty's decision to suspend classes and their decision to create a chairman's proposal. Steve Weissman of FSM speaks of the police brutality being unwarranted and criticizes the departmental chairmen for being manipulated into keeping the issues behind closed doors.Broadcast: KPFA. Archive #AZ1393.

Part 3: Art Goldberg reports on the conference with Clark Kerr at the Greek Theater and the refusal to allow Mario Savio to speak. Savio gives a brief summary of the free speech issues and is interviewed about why he was not allowed to speak at the Greek Theater and about the Free Speech issues. Broadcast: KPFA. Archive #AZ1395.

University Students for Law and Order (USLO) anti-FSM rally, December 7, 1964

Part 1: Robert Dussault, coordinating chairman of USLO, is interviewed about his intention to return the university to a state of normalcy so that affairs can be conducted. Susan Trupin, a sit-in participant discusses her arrest and gives a report on the numerous students who were placed in solitary confinement and the police brutality she witnessed. Broadcast: KPFA. Archive #AZ1390.

Part 2: Tape includes following: University Students for Law and Order (USLO) rally; interview with Robert Dussault (see also AZ1390); Greek Theater, U.C. Berkeley, December 7, 1964: Mario Savio briefly interviewed after having been removed from stage by police; report on attempts to speak and handling by police; more. Broadcast: KPFA.
Archive #AZ1391.

University Students for Law and Order press conference, December 7, 1964

University Students for Law and Order (USLO), and anti-Free Speech Movement group established two days prior, give a press conference, explaining who they are and reading their petition. Broadcast: KPFA. Archive #AZ1392.

Readings from two University of California, Berkeley faculty reports, December 17, 1964

According to the interim report, Academic Senate Emergency Executive Committee meets with regents on December 17, 1964. On December 18, 1964, Regents declared that advocacy or content of speech will not be restricted beyond the purview of the First and Fourteenth Amendments. Broadcast: KPFA. Archive #AZ1378.

University of California Regents meeting, December 18, 1964

Free Speech Movement rally sounds at UCLA on the day of the University of California Regents meeting December 18th, 1964. Broadcast: / KPFA. Archive #AZ1377.

Report from Berkeley, 1966, narrated and produced by Scott Keech

Scott Keech reports on the Free Speech Movement at the University California, Berkeley. The recording begins with Mario Savio reading an agreement made between the students and UC Berkeley on October 2, 1964, followed with actuality from the student strike. Reported by Bob Graham and Burton White. Broadcast: 1966, KPFA. Archive #BB1232A, BB1232B, BB1232C.

Listen to:

Sentencing of free speech movement defendants, 1967 / Bettina Aptheker and Mario Savio ; interviewed by Elsa Knight Thompson.

Discussion of the trial of the Free Speech Movement leaders; includes actuality of a rally in support of the defendants. Produced by the News and Public Affairs Department. Broadcast: 1967-06-28, KPFA. Archive #BB1303.

 

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This project is supported in part by an award from the
National Endowment for the Arts.