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Free Speech Movement Digital Archive

Posted by michael on from the keeping-it-real dept.

Logic Bomb writes: "Freedom of speech comes up quite a bit on Slashdot. How would you like to browse through a massive historical record of another modern free speech movment? According to an article from the San Francisco Chronicle, the archive located at UC Berkeley of records related to the 1964 Free Speech Movement has been digitized in its entirety and is available on the web for anyone to look at. It comes to over 35,000 pages of documents, not to mention digitized version of fliers and photographs. Much of the Slashdot readership, including myself, was born long after this amazing period in history ended. Archives such as this one allow those currently fighting for free speech to make connections to the past and even garner ideas to reuse. Read the article, then browse the archive."

3 of 60 comments (clear)

  1. Try to get a broad view of history. by Tech187 · · Score: 5

    It's fine to explore this era of history, and great that Berkeley has done a comprehensive job of covering one side of the story so well. But it's important to remember there are always two sides of the issue. For a point of view from someone who was on the side of the 'rebels' during this period, but who has had a lot of second thoughts, read some of these well thought out perspectives on the history of this movement. I was a 'student radical' at the U of Minnesota in the late 70's. I even called the U of M Board of Regents 'Motherfuckers' once on a bullhorn. I've changed my opinion, and now think I was a damn fool back then. Make sure you look at both sides and don't get involved in foolish adventurism.

    1. Re:Try to get a broad view of history. by blair1q · · Score: 3

      The beginning of the FSM at Berkeley was righteous.

      But it quickly turned into a faddish, party-like, power-mad atmosphere.

      Mario Savio and the people he led were protesting a legitimate problem caused by the Berkeley administration.

      By the time it was being copied on campuses across America, it had become the "make up an excuse to go protest, get high, get laid, get your jollies" movement. A combination of hero worship, beatnik ethics, and youthful experimentation run amok.

      It might have been fun, but it wasn't very constructive.

      But then, maybe we should bring it back, because college students now riot when the women's basketball team loses a national championship game. They're obviously not being distracted well enough by chemicals, politics, and the acquisition of knowledge, to keep them from being mobbish and violent for completely stupid reasons...

      --Blair
      "Four bored in O-hi-o."

    2. Re:Try to get a broad view of history. by blair1q · · Score: 3

      someone goes to Purdue...

      I ruled out Purdue when they recruited me to be a Teaching Assistant...while I was in high school...

      --Blair