Basic Information
Happened in 1964–65 academic year on the Campus of University of California, Berkeley.
Leaders of Students: Art Goldberg, Mario Savio, and Brian Turner.
Goals: 1. To demand students' right to free speech and academic freedom.
2. To protest a ban on on-campus political activities
Civil Rights
Berkeley Freedom Speech Movement, 1964
Summary of Movement
In defiance of the ban on on-campus political activities, graduate student Jack Weinberg set up a table with political information and was arrested. But a group of approximately 3,000 students surrounded the police car in which he was held, preventing it from moving for 36 hours. Both Mario Savio and Jack Weinberg were on top of the surrounded car speaking to the crowd, and the car encircled by protesters and police.(Calispere)
Governor Pat Brown ordered President Kerr to seek a peaceful solution with the protestors. The United Front selected a negotiation group. After a contentious meeting, in which the students disagreed among themselves on what to do, the pact of October 2 was signed by Kerr and the United Front. Everyone returned to Sproul plaza where Mario Savio mounted the car and told the students to disperse. (Immanuel)
Consequences
Freedom speech movement in Berkeley became a legend on campuses across America, inspiring demonstrations protesting a diversity of issues at over a dozen colleges. Finally, university president Clark Kerr announced that he would propose a "new era of freedom under law" for the school.(Layman)
Students accomplished their goals.
Significance
Freedom speech movement was the first major outburst of what was to be nearly a decade of campus turmoil. The antiwar movement greatly inflamed and expanded the challenge to the universities; and beginning in 1968, campus demonstrations, riots, and building seizures became almost commonplace. That partly caused opposition to the military draft---many draft-age Americans simply refused induction, accepting what were occasionally long terms in jail as a result. (Brinkley)