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The Personal Account of an American Revolutionary and Member Ofthe Weather Underground

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The Personal Account of an American Revolutionary and Member Ofthe Weather Underground The Personal Account of an American Revolutionary and Member ofthe Weather Underground Mattie Greenwood U.S. in the 20th Century World February, 10"'2006 Mr. Brandt OH GRE 2006 1^u St-Andrew's EPISCOPAL SCHOOL American Century Oral History Project Interviewee Release Form I, I-0\ V 3'CoVXJV 'C\V-\f^Vi\ {\ , hereby give and grant to St. Andrew's (inter\'iewee) Episcopal School the absolute and unqualified right to the use ofmy oral histoiy memoir conducted by VA'^^X'^ -Cx^^V^^ Aon 1/1 lOip . I understand that (student interviewer) (date) the purpose ofthis project is to collect audio- and video-taped oral histories of fust-hand memories ofa particular period or event in history as part ofa classroom project (The American Century Projeci), I understand that these interviews (tapes and transcripts) will be deposited in the Saint Andrew's Episcopal School library and archives for the use by future students, educators and researchers. Responsibility for the creation of derivative works will be at the discretion ofthe librarian, archivist and/or project coordinator. 1 also understand that the tapes and transcripts may be used in public presentations including, but not limited to, books, audio or video documentaries, slide-tape presentations, exhibits, articles, public performance, or presentation on the World Wide Web at the project's web site www.americancenturyproject.org or successor technologies. In making this contract I understand that J am sharing with St. Andrew's Episcopal School librai"y and archives all legal title and literar)' property rights which J have or may be deemed to have in my interview as well as my right, title and interest in any copyright related to this oral history interview which may be secured under the laws now or later in force and effect in the United Slates of America. This gift, however, docs no! preclude any use that 1 myself want to make ofthe infomiation in these transcripts and recordings. I herein warrant that I have not assigned or in any manner encumbered or impaired any of the aforementioned rights in my oral memoir. The only conditions which I place on this unrestricted gift are: 1. 2. 3. iignature of Inler\'icwee/Donor r - . n • ,11 Address Date } 8804 Postoak Road • Potomac, MD 20854 • Phone 301-983-5200 • Fax 301-983-4710 • www.saes.org Table of Contents Interviewer/ Interviewee release form Statement of Purpose pg 1 Biography pg 2 Historical Context pg 4 Interview Transcription pg 16 Interview Analysis Pg 51 Time Index Log , Pg 57 Works Consulted pg 58 Greenwood 1 Statement of Purpose The purpose this Oral History project is to provide a better understanding ofa titne period in American History. My interview with Laura Whitehorn, former member ofthe Weather Underground, tells the unique experience ofa revolutionary in the sixties and seventies. It also provides information about the Weather Underground from the perspective of one of its members as well as shares the life experiences that shape the views of a revolutionary. Greenwood 2 Biography Laura Whitehorn was born on March 13"', 1945 in Brooklyn, NY. Her parents were Jewish socialists and were involved in several causes, such as supporting cancer research and being active in the Democratic Party. Whitehorn grew up being very close with her older sister. When Whitehorn was young, her family moved to the New York City suburb of New Rochelle and attended New Rochelle High School. In 1968, Whitehorn graduated from Radeliff University in Boston, Massachusetts. Soon after graduating, Whitehorn married her college boyfriend, Don, and the couple moved to Chicago in August 1968. Throughout the year, Laura attended colleetive. As a member ofthe Weathermen, Laura spent some time underground and participated in the Chicago Days of Rage on October 6", 1969. When she came above ground in 1971, she helped organize the takeover of a building al Harvard as a protest of the Vietnam War and to demand that Harvard build a women's center. After the Greenwood 3 Weathermen broke apart in the mid-seventies, Whitehorn joined a group called iMay 19''. As a member of May 19"', Whitehorn went underground and helped with several actions to help the black liberation movement. In 1983, Whitehoni helped plan a bombing on the United Slate's Capttol in protest of America's invasion of Grenada. In 1985 Laura was arrested and convicted of conspiracy in the Capitol bombing. She was sentenced to twenty years in prison. While in prison, Laura became interested in AIDS and how to help those with the disease. She now lives in New York City and is the science editor for the magazine Cos. She continues to be active in AIDS prevention as well as protesting the war in Iraq and working the parole cases of her revolutionary friends, who are still in jail. Greenwood 4 Historical Context The Personal Account of an American Revolutionaiy and Member of The Weather Underground "There should be more riots and more violence. Young people in the west have been lied to, sold out, and betrayed. Best thing they can do is take the place apart before they are destroyed in a nuclear war" says author William S. Burroughs (Sargeant 6). This statement reflects the feelings ofa large nuniber of young people in the Uniled States in the 1960s. In the decade of the 1960s was a time of chaos, change, and talk of revolution. The United States was in turmoil with the controversial war in Vielnam and black people advocating and sometimes rioting for equal rights. College students led the protest movement againsl the American government they felt was unjust and corrupt. Out ofthe organizations formed for equal rights and peace, some radical students broke apart to form their own more radical groups. These new movements supported violence as a means of overthrowing the government. The most well known of these groups was the Weather Underground, which supported the black liberation movement as well as using violent methods to destroy the United Slates govennnent and end the war in Vietnani. Their view was that the only way to etid the wrongdoings ofthe American govermiient was to confront the establislnnent by using violent tactics. In order to understand the life ofa revolutionary and former member ofthe Weather Underground, it is important lo know aboul the history ofthe sixties and the peace movement. In contrast to the 1960's, the 1950's are thought of as a period of social conformity and a growing fear of communism. After World War II, the United States Greenwood 5 entered a period of prosperity and economic growth. The real gross national product (GNP) rose 50 percent, output per man-hour increased more than 35 percent, and the average income of Americans grew more than 25 percenl (Dougan, Lipsman 22). Most Americans were content and had hojies for a good ftiture. Another factor holding the American people together was a common fear of communism. Communist Soviet Union had become a world power and spread ils government to the countries of Eastern Europe. Other counlries around the world were begimiing to fall to eomniunism, including China in 1949. Americans began to see communist countries as their enemy and feared that growing communism could tlneaten the American way of life. In 1945 the Cold War belween the United States and the Soviet Union began when the United States impleinenled a policy to contain eomniunism (Dougan, Lipsman 10). The United States govermnent feared communist expansion and vowed to help other countries fight against it. The govermiient increased fiinding for the military and the United States got involved in a race with the Soviet Union to increase the supply of nuclear weapons. In the United States the pressure to confortn grew as people were investigated for possibly being communists. From the years of about 1950 to 1954, Senator Joseph United States' government with little or no evidence to support his claims. McCarthy also investigated anyone else he suspected of being a communist or having ties with the Soviet Union. This increased the atmosphere of fear and suspicion in The United States. Greenwood 6 Even in this atmosphere of fear and repression some groups were speaking out and protesting governmenl policies. The civil rights movement began with black Americans beginning to seek equal rights. Their first goal was to work through the court system to desegregate schools. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) led the attack and brought their case to the Supreme Court. On May 17, 1954, in the case Brown v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court ruled that that the doctrine of "separate but equal" had no place in the public school system (Dougan, Lipsman 30). In addition to fighting for their rights tluough the Supreme Court, African Americans began the new strategy of "nonviolent dueet action" which included sit-ins and boycotts. In addition lo the civil rights movement, a nuniber of organizations seeking peace began to take action. Organizations like the United World Federalists and the Federation of American Scientists tried to promote disai'mament and a negotiated end to the Cold War. The Committee for Non-Violent Activism (CNVA) and The Committee for a Safe Nuclear Policy (SANE) were formed, "lo take action against the arms race" and support nuclear test ban treaties. These two groups "constituted the twin engines of an accelerating peace movement" (DeBenedetti 31). 1960s. Blacks in the United States were deprived of their basic civil rights and had little chance of being successful. Tired ofthe unequal treatment they were receiving, Civil rights groups such as, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Congress on Racial Equality and the Sttident Non Violent Coordinating Committee, Greenwood 7 practiced tactics of "non violent direct action", which included sit-ins and peaceful protest marches.
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