April Third Movement

Did you or someone you know sit in at the Old Union or AEL? March for peace or civil rights? Sign the “We Won’t Go” pledge? Join a consciousness-raising group? Take or offer classes at the Free University, Experiment, or SWOPSI? Protest war recruiters on campus? Picket markets in support of the Farmworkers? Take any other progressive political action while at Stanford?

The late 60s and early 70s were a time of political and social ferment at Stanford and in nearby communities, and thousands of us took part. Periodically, many “veterans” of the Stanford-area Movement gather to connect with old friends, reminisce about the good old days, and discuss today’s challenges.

We will meet at Stanford’s Tresidder Union Friday night, May 16, move to Palo Alto’s First Presbyterian Church all day and evening on Saturday, May 17, and conclude back at Tresidder on Sunday, May 18.

We plan fewer panel discussions than at the 2009 Reunion. Instead, we’ll have open discussions and break-outs (affinity groups), structured around three keynote presentations. For details,

While folks are welcome to attend just to reminisce and see old friends, we propose a theme to underlie our discussions:

We are 40 to 50 years older than we were in the 1960s and early 1970s, but many of us have the time, money, and/or personal security, as well as the knowledge and experience, to continue to play an active role in progressive politics. There are many excellent organizations and media out there, but none has the momentum that we remember from our days at Stanford and environs. What can be done to re-build the Movement? What is our role?

We are asking participants to pay $100 per person to cover food on Saturday as well as other reunion expenses. See the attached Registration Form or click on Registration. We are also seeking donations to cover “scholarships” for current Stanford students. Once we have calculated our costs we will let you know how much is tax-deductible.

We are seeking volunteers to assist with set-up and breakdown and staff on-site registration tables. Contact Lenny Siegel if you can help.

In addition, we are asking local residents to open their homes to participants. If you live in the Stanford area and are willing to do so, please send Lenny a note.

We are hearing that a number of old comrades who did not attend past reunions are planning to attend this year. Our e-mail list has well over 200 names, but we’d like to find other folks to make sure they know about our plans. Please pass this information along to people you’re in touch with, or ask Lenny if he is in touch with specific people with whom you’ve lost contact. We do not publish a list of participants.

This is a great opportunity to re-connect with old friends or even re-kindle old flames. See you in May!