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We are highlighting the grassroots level of student activism done by Ball State Students to fight back against the foreign and domestic implications of the Vietnam war. Students are the backbone to a campus and some of the most powerful voices of the younger generations. So, by protesting the war it highlights the desire of students all around the nation in promoting their civic duty, so not only is it a grassroots activism but it is activism done as a nation. The students represent an entire generation of a population, and if they are discontent with the policies made by a higher power their voices are the first to be heard.

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Daily News: "Indiana Students Join March"

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Daily News: "Indiana Students Join March"

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Daily News reports on Students joining a march

In 1969, an Anti-Vietnam War protest of at least a quarter of a million people occurred, largely in attendance were youth and students. 35 students from Ball State University joined this protest in the nation's capital where they read the names of those killed in the war. This protest included a three-hour rally outside the capitol that featured anti-war speeches and folk music. There were leaders of the Democratic Party and Mrs. Martin Luterh King Jr. in attendance leading the march.

Citation: UA.018 "Daily News issues covering the VMC, 1969 October 16 - 1970 October - 15 Box 1 Folder 6

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This source is a newspaper article that covers the store of Ball States students going on a campus wide strike to protest Nixon's policies in South East Asia and the deaths that happened at Kent State University. While Ball State student Angelo Franceschina seem to initiated the strike, thousands of Ball States students joined in to voice their grievances against the U.S.'s involvement in Vietnam. Additionally, as displayed in the article the students hung a sign that said "strike" on Beneficence to display that they were going to strike until peace was achieved or at least a line of communication was opened to talk about moving towards peace. Overall, this source displays students advocating for exit in Vietnam and using their power and voices to demand change.

Citation: UA.018 "Daily News issues covering the VMC, 1969 October 16 - 1970 October - 15 Box 1 Folder 6

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Exact Date unknown, sometime between 1969-1970

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This "STRIKE" flyer, while having little information other than what is occurring and what day, has a powerful impact when one sees it. While we do not know what specific event/group/person is being protested it is clear where the image comes from. The closed fist, which seemingly derives its image from the symbol for "Black Power," shows how activist groups can draw inspiration from one another. It also makes clear how that this strike will be a unified event, that those protesting will be standing as one against those who seek to divide. Whatever was being protested, Vietnam, Civil Rights, etc., clearly, they were enough flyers on campus for this to register enough with students that they knew what was being fought over.

Citation: UA.018 "Strike Thursday poster, c. 1969-1970" Box 1 Folder 22

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Raymond E. White Papers, Ball State University: Archives and Special Collections

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This article is a satirical piece written to advertise the negative aspects of the draft in Vietnam. It compares the negative aspects to actual positives to make it seem as tho it is a raffle. Calling the war a "5 Year Vacation" all expenses paid plays into the theme while showing that being drafted is a five-year commitment away from the draftee's life at home. Overall this is an excellent work of satire and demonstrates the views of many who were against the drat or the war. Especially students as this article was printed in a student magazine.

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Student Protest; Tax Payers Rally Flyer 1970 April 15

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Student Protest; Tax Payers Rally Flyer 1970 April 15

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This display's the anti-war sentiment filling Ball State's campus and how they plan to protest the United State's involvement in Vietnam. The students have titled this march as the "taxpayer's rally" to stand against the inflation the government put upon them to afford to be in Vietnam which demonstrates how students were voicing their opinions against domestic consequences of being in Vietnam. On another note, this march was supposed to start at Emens auditorium, which is still a prolific building on campus today. Overall, these students used our campus to stand against the U.S governments involvement in foreign affairs because of the domestic consequences of inflation and anti-Vietnam sentiment.

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This is a flyer giving details of what will occur on the gathering of Nov. 13 & 14, 1969.This is an example of how people decided to make others aware of the atrocities being committed without losing the moral high ground. The dove also being a symbol of peace, specifically makes clear that this is not a protest of violence. You can see what the students would deem appropriate for the protests, "marching," "fol-singing," and a "memorial service."

Citation: UA.018 "Work for Peace Informational handout, 1969 November 13-14" Box 1, Folder 25

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The back of the flyer under "What the War Means" it gives all attendees, or whomever would find one of these, the specific reasons for protesting the war. This makes clear there is no reason to stay in Vietnam, economically or otherwise. It brings the argument home by asking people to think of "your family." An argument that makes the war harder to defend.

Citation: UA.018 "Work for Peace Informational handout, 1969 November 13-14" Box 1, Folder 25

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Project "Faith" is a national grassroots movement started by Ball State Students that want to push statements of faith and belief in the American Government to the public. They are wanting to achieve that goal by having all major universities and media sources to spread this message of faith to across the nation. So, not only were Ball State students advocating to the end of the war but they were also trying to reestablish a positive message and belief into the government. The facts about the project highlight how it was a bipartisan issue amongst all political affiliations so there was an agreement throughout the student body to highlight how there needs to be support in government. Though later the truth about the government was exposed by the pentagon papers and growing tensions throughout the populous about the government true intentions in Vietnam were becoming tense; there was still a faction of the student body that wanted to ensure the stability of the governments image.

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Ball state Students Public disagreement 1969

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Ball state Students Public disagreement 1969

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This statement of public disagreement displays how the public perceived the actions done by ball state students protest. As Ball state students were wanting hold a protest to urge the ending of the war we can see how locals were actively trying to stop these protest. So as disagreement to government action and protesting the end of Vietnam may have had popular support amongst the students and faculty of Ball state, we can see how public media perception still influenced those outside of a academic setting. This can highlight the power that education had on giving these students the opportunities to learn about the reality that many locals may not have had.

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By the faculty supporting the students in their moratorium to end the war in Vietnam, it highlights how student activism was something well perceived by higher ups within the hierarchy of education. The students had the support of faculty so this may have enabled the students to be more comfortable in their protest and not having to worry about any repercussions that they may have had to face if the faculty weren't as supportive. Additionally, if the higher ups at Ball State didn't approve of these protest then the students could use the support of faculty to help bolster their messaging and continue to do what they were doing even if they were encouraged to no longer continue their protest.

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This is a 1970 NBC News report on Ball State's Vietnam Moratorium Committee. National media was clearly trying to find out how "middle America" was feeling about the war and stumbled across these group of students at BSU protesting against the war. The women pictured is Dr. Mary Munchel Posner (who organized the protests) who has returned to BSU for anniversaries of the group did and to celebrate the cause they fought for.

Citation:

Brinkley, David. “1970 NBC News Report on Ball State’s Vietnam Moratorium Committee.” YouTube, August 12, 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BwiWN89HT8&list=PLwSnBztGO1ry_fHrTTwCNDLDf2VndYtMW&index=6&t=283s.

NBC Nightly News, February 25, 1970

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1970 NBC News report on Ball State's Vietnam Moratorium Committee

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In conclusion, Ball State students have been making their voices heard for decades. Ball State students were very intent on making their voices heard, whether it was for or against the war. In a world without social media or cell phones, students creatively made flyers, got the media's attention, and did whatever it took to get their message out and be heard. In an era of rebelling against older generations BSU students took up causes they believed to be important to them as they sought to work towards a better future for themselves and their country. This kind of important activism and difference making is even seen today when it comes to saving the History grad program.