April 3, 1968: 56 years ago, Apr 3 1968, 150 young men publicly violated draft laws in [...]

56 years ago, Apr 3 1968, 150 young men publicly violated draft laws in front of San Francisco’s Federal Building. The event, organized by anti-war group The Resistance, was witnessed and cheered on by a crowd of thousands In order to break the law as flagrantly as possible, the draft …

April 3, 1968: 56 years ago, April 3 1968, heavily armed Oakland police demanded entry [...]

56 years ago, April 3 1968, heavily armed Oakland police demanded entry into St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church, where the Black Panther Party was holding a meeting, claiming reports of a gunman in the area. After a tense standoff, Father Earl Neil refused the police entry Earl Neil was ordained as …

April 2, 1985: 39 years ago, April 2 1985, San Jose City Council voted 10-1 to ban city [...]

39 years ago, April 2 1985, San Jose City Council voted 10-1 to ban city investment in any firm doing business in apartheid South Africa. By the end of the year, San Francisco, Oakland, Palo Alto, and Richmond all passed similar divestment resolutions

April 2, 1967: 57 years ago, April 2 1967, over a hundred San Francisco police attacked [...]

57 years ago, April 2 1967, over a hundred San Francisco police attacked an impromptu gathering of around 2,000 “hippies” in the Haight-Ashbury district, beating many and arresting 32 people No event had been planned for the day. Small groups of young people came out to enjoy the beautiful Spring …

April 1, 1911: J. Stitt Wilson, Socialist Mayor of Berkeley, Elected

April 1 1911, J. Stitt Wilson, a member of the Socialist Party of America, was elected mayor of Berkeley. A Christian socialist who advocated for a social revolution to establish “ownership by the whole people of the basic equipment of land and machinery,” Stitt Wilson had been a member of …