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This Book by Ruth Rosen is a great read about the wider women's movement. The author was active in the women's movement and a historian. The book is available through the Austin Public Library.

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The world split open : how the modern women's movement changed America | WorldCat.org

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"Weaving together ten years of archival research and interviews, Rosen turns the complicated history of the women's movement into a compelling and coherent narrative. The World Split Open challenges u

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The Paper I wish I was smart enough to Write

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The Paper I wish I was smart enough to Write

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This was one of my favorite sources for my paper. You know how you come across a source and say, "Crap someone already wrote my paper". It is a good read for an academic paper.

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This podcast is hosted by Bernadine's son Zayn Dohrn. This was my inspiration for pursing this subject.

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A Family History of the Weather Underground

About This Podcast

Zayd Dohrn was born underground - his parents were radicals and counter-culture outlaws, on the run from the FBI.

Now Zayd takes us back to the 1970s, when his parents and their young friends in the Weather Underground Organization declared war on the United States government. They brawled with riot cops on the streets of Chicago, bombed the Pentagon and the U.S. Capitol, broke comrades out of prison, and teamed up with Black militant groups to rob banks, fight racism - and help build a revolution.

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Mother Country Radicals Archives | Crooked Media

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A Family History of the Weather Underground Zayd Dohrn was born underground - his parents were radicals and counter-culture outlaws, on the run from the FBI. Now Zayd takes us back to the 1970s, when his parents and their young friends in the Weather Underground Organization declared war on the United States government.

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The Hard Times Conference was the end of the Weather Underground. The January 1976 conference was meant to build consensus, but the organizers were accused of sexism and racism. An organizational rupture of the WUO followed and the Weather Underground was dissolved by the next year.

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The WUO publishes this collective work on theory in 1974. It is reprinted 40,000 times

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Pictured are Disability protests at the same building three years after the bombing.

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Inspired by the conclusions of "Six Sisters" the Women's brigade bombs the federal offices of Health, Education, and Welfare on March 6, 1974. They called it "the major vehicle of social control of women". They called for woman control of daycare, healthcare, and birth control. They also denounce forced sterilization. This will be the final action of the Women's Brigade.

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A summer women's study program was developed due to the WUO's recommitment to Women's Liberation. The group produced a packet titled "Six Sisters". The group synthesized sexism with their previous understanding imperialism and racism. The discussions now would be described as intersectional feminism.

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In January of 1973 the WUO publishes a document calling for a stronger commitment to feminist theory to develop their cause. Pictured is a print inscribed with the poem of the same name by Japanese poet and activist Yosano Akiko. The poem was originally published in 1911.

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The title for the communique was taken from Bob Dylan's Album "New Morning". The celebration of youth culture in the document fits with the pop culture reference in the title.

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Bob Dylan - New Morning (Official Audio)

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In December of 1970 The Weathermen Underground released the communiqué, "New Morning, Changing Weather". It was a disavowal of violence for violence sake and outlined a more coherent organizational philosophy. The group would go on to bomb empty buildings that housed oppressive institutions in an "armed propaganda" campaign. In this document they also change their name to the gender neutral Weather Underground because they have begun to incorporate women's issues into their mission. The document was signed by Bernadine Dohrn with a finger print next tot her signature.

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In December 6, 1970, in the wake of a New York townhouse explosion that killed three members of the Weather Underground, this communiqué was released and signed by Bernadine Dohrn as a response to that incident. The group's previous communiqué, in September of 1970, came after the group helped psychedelic guru, Timothy Leary, escape from jail. Some viewed the group's help of a white countercultural figure, rather than an imprisoned black radical, as a betrayal of the group's commitment to Third World liberation. The December communique continues along those lines, by including countercultural rhetoric, praising the student movement and promoting marijuana and the use of psychedelics. The New York Panthers were critical of this communiqué's support of drug use, given their different experience as African Americans versus the middle-class white student movement. The December communiqué also attempted to offer a more human story of the Weather Undergrounds actions., explaining, "Kent and Augusta and Jackson brought to all of us a coming of age, a seriousness about how hard it will be to fight in Amerika and how long it will take us to win." It also suggests a stronger role for women within the group, a critique of its past actions and ideology, as well as an outline of philosophical changes taking place within the organization. This communiqué was also the first time the group signed a communique as the "Weather Underground," instead of "Weatherman."

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"New Morning - Changing Weather" - Weather Underground Communiqué

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The Roz Payne Sixties Archive is a free, web-based, educational archive of political artifacts from the 1960s-era, collected and saved over the years by activist, photographer and filmmaker, Roz Payne. The collection was digitized and curated by Dr. Patrick D. Jones, associate professor of History and Ethnic Studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

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The first Bombing By the Women's Brigade of the Weather Underground

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The first Bombing By the Women's Brigade of the Weather Underground

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As a protest of the Vietnam war and Harvard's status as the educator of the "Man" the women of the Weather Underground bomb the Harvard War Research Center for International Affairs on October 15, 1970

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"She Blew My nose and then She Blew My Mind"

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"She Blew My nose and then She Blew My Mind"

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The lyrics to the song by The Rolling Stones complicate the image expressed by the Weathermen's propaganda.

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The Rolling Stones - Honky Tonk Women (TOTP, 10th July 1969 - TAPED on 3rd July!)

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The Weathermen took the name for their short-lived news paper started after the final SDS conference in 1969 from this book of essays by James Baldwin. The title was meant to indicate the publication was a wakeup call.

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Jeff Jones was a California native who had worked in the SDS New York Regional offices and would go on to help produce the WUO publication "Prairie Fire"

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During the days of rage.The women members of the Weathermen in an early all female action organized a march on the Grant Park Army Induction Center in Chicago with the goal of shutting it dow. They got their asses kicked.

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This film pushes Bernadine Dohrn into the background despite in real life her having just as much involvement as her male SDS colleagues. The character credit doesn't even list her full name, jut Bernadine.

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The Trial of the Chicago 7 | Official Trailer | Netflix Film

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After the resolution of SDS the organization donated all of their files (with the exception of their members list which was destroyed) to the Kent State University Library.

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Students for a Democratic Society records | Special Collections and Archives | Kent State University Libraries

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Students for a Democratic Society records May 4 Collection - Box 107 Finding Aid Prepared by Francis J. Cizmar, April 26, 1995; Updated August 2022 Extent: 1 half-size record storage box, .5 cubic foot Inclusive Dates: 1967-2005 (bulk 1968-1970) Physical Location: 12th floor Scope and Content: This…

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5 members of the Weather Underground allowed a documentary crew to film them during their time in hiding. The film is released in 1976.

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Underground (Emile De Antonio 1976) : Emile De Antonio : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

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From Wikipedia:Underground is a 1976 documentary film about the Weathermen, founded as a militant faction of the Students for a Democratic…

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In a pamphlet, "Titled Honky Tonk Woman" passed around at the Flint War council the female Viet Cong solider was idealized as the strong, self-sacrificing woman that weatherwomen should strive to be.

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 Robert Fassnacht the only civilian victim of WUO's bombing campaign.

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 Robert Fassnacht the only civilian victim of WUO's bombing campaign.

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An army research facility at the University of Wisconsin-Madison was bomb inadvertently killing Fassnacht a civilian graduate student working late.

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The WUO's first public communiqué. This is an original recording of Bernadine Dohrn reading the message.

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The Weatherman's Declaration Of A State Of War

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Fire Bombing of Judge John Murtagh's Home

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Fire Bombing of Judge John Murtagh's Home

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WUO targeted the home of the Judge presiding over the Panther 21 case.

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The radical 19th century abolitionist was taken as a role model and symbol for the WUO solidarity with the Black struggle.

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COINTELPRO relied on paid female informants to infiltrate women's liberation groups. They seemed preoccupied with their appearance describing their unfeminine jeans and their frizzy, unbrushed hair.

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The Weathermen have their last conference in Flint, Michigan in December of 1969 before going underground.

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After the December 4, 1969 assassination of Fred Hampton WUO bombs empty Chicago squad cars as pay back.

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The groups first mass action that ran from October 8-11, 1969. They planned on clashing with the police but the brutality of the response served to further radicalize many of the participants. This was the same month as the Chicago 8 trial and was intended to draw police energy away from Black demonstrations. Sixty-four weather people were indicted in relation to the Days of Rage events.

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October 19, 1969 The Weathermen blow up the police memorial in Haymarket Square in Chicago. 

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First Bombing at Haymarket Police Memorial Statue

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First Bombing at Haymarket Police Memorial Statue

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In the tradition of the Wobblies and other populist progressive movements the WUO published their own music. Its mostly a collection of parody songs, and as Weird Al was still learning the accordion they were the blind.

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The Roz Payne Sixties Archive is a free, web-based, educational archive of political artifacts from the 1960s-era, collected and saved over the years by activist, photographer and filmmaker, Roz Payne. The collection was digitized and curated by Dr. Patrick D. Jones, associate professor of History and Ethnic Studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

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A Bryn Mawr Grad, Peace Corp Veteran, and teacher She with Bill Ayers were active in getting the early Weathermen off the ground as a leader of the Midwest arm of the organization.

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Joined SDS/The Weathermen in 1969 during one of their "jailbreaks" at a high school. He went on to recruit others into the organization. He worked as a teacher and was the primary author of the Weatherman songbook.  He died when a bomb being assembled in the basement by Terry Robbins and Diana Oughten unexpectedly went off.

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Dustin Hoffman was living next door to radio executive James Wilkerson the father of WUO member Cathy Wilkerson. She was using the residence as a safe house while her parent were in the Caribbean.

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The accidental explosion that killed three weather people March 1970. This was the point where the WUO began to reconsider their commitment to violence, although the bombings continue until 1977 they were committed to only perpetrating violence against property to make symbolic war on the United States. The bomb Robbins and Oughton had building had been intended for an officers dance at Fort Dix New Jersey. This was also the incident that sent the organization truly underground.

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Begun in 1967 the FBI's counterintelligence program was an illegal coalition of the CIA, Army, IRS, and local and state police organized by J. Edgar Hoover to surveil, suppress, and shut down the activist left in the United States. COINTELPRO's four main tactics were infiltration, psychological warfare, harassment through the legal system, and extra-legal force and violence. One of their central goals was to destroy racial solidarity. Luckily for the members of the WUO especially Dohrn much of the evidence gathered regarding their terrorist actions was done through COINTELPRO and their for inadmissible in court. In 1978 several FBI top brass were indicted for COINTELPRO activities specifically related to WUO.

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Bernadine Dohrn's husband, father of her children, and fellow weatherperson.

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Due to her high profile position in the WUO and her undeniable leadership role Bernadine Dohrn was put on the FBI's most wanted list, only the 4th woman to receive such attention (Angela Davis was the third). The WUO along with other militant, radical, or simply leftist organizations were subjected the illegal surveillance of COINTELPRO .

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Bernadine Dohrn was described as by an unnamed law professor as one of the most promising young lawyers in the country. She came to SDS after working for Martin Luther King Jr. and the Chicago Freedom Movement, and the National Lawyers Guild. She was the official author of multiple WUO papers and the voice heard on many of the taped communiques warning of imminent bombings by the WUO.

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The story of Fred Hampton's betrayal and assassination was made into a major motion picture in 2021. Well worth the watch and highly recommended.

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JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH - Official Trailer

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Communist party leader and Black activist professor that was put on the FBI's most wanted list after going underground when she was accused of having a part in planning an armed raid on the Marin County, CA courthouse on August 7, 1970. Despite having no prior knowledge of the action she was charged with conspiracy and kidnapping. Davis was cleared of all charges, but during her time on the run WUO dedicated the October 8 bombing of the courthouse to her.

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The assassination of the Chairman of the Chicago Black Panther Party Fred Hampton by the Chicago Police likely had a strong effect on further radicalizing the WUO. He was a young charismatic Black leader that organized multiracial community coalitions, and also had some personal connections to the WUO as a few members participated in study groups with him.

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The WUO defined itself as working for the benefit of Black militant organizations like the Black Panther party and the BLA. The relationship was tenuous at best, and the relevance of WUO's actions to the Black power movement were debatable.

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The name for The Weathermen was taken from the lyrics of this Bob Dylan Song, " You don't need the weatherman to tell you which way the wind blows".

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Bob Dylan - Subterranean Homesick Blues (Official Video)

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The organization that formed in 1969 after the SDS dissolved due to lack of organizational leadership and opinion over taking more direct (violent) anti-war action. The group changed its name several times eventually becoming The Weather Underground Organization. They dropped the -men to signal their commitment to gender equality and added the underground when they began terroristic bombings and were wanted by the FBI.

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The primary anti-war political organization of the 1960's and the face of the "New Left".

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He Came To SDS after participating in the Columbia student occupation and the Kent State protests. He was a member of the Weather Underground cell that set off an accidental explosion in a Greenwich Village safe-house. Robbins and two other Weather people died in the blast.

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He with Terry Robbins was involved in both the Columbia student occupation and Kent State protest. He went underground with the group and like many former radicals became a professor and an author.

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The Leadership of The Weathermen was formed out of leadership from the SDS and was called the Weather Bureau. The three most prominent were Mark Rudd, Bill Ayers, and Jeff Jones.