Home / Six Days in April/May, 1970

https://cespurgeon.com/photos/

https://tinyurl.com/sixdayswesleyan

The six days from Thursday, April 30, 1970, through Tuesday, May 5, saw a range of events from the escalation of the war in Southeast Asia to a major outdoor concert at Wesleyan and the vote at Wesleyan to join the nationwide student strike.

Thursday, April 30, 1970: Four firebombs explode in Wesleyan buildings, causing damage to Downey House, the Music Annex Building on William Street, and the Information Systems Building on Wyllys Avenue. Wesleyan students joined overnight fire watches to help protect buildings. Nixon announces an expansion of the war in Vietnam with the invasion of Cambodia, setting off protests nationwide.

Friday, May 1: Major demonstration in New Haven against the trial of Black Panthers, including Bobby Seale.

Saturday, May 2: Antiwar protests nationwide, including at Kent State University in Ohio.

Sunday, May 3: Grateful Dead concert at Wesleyan before a crowd estimated at 3,500, which was a very large crowd for a school of 1,400 students.

Monday, May 4: Four students were shot and killed at a protest at Kent State University.

Tuesday, May 5: Students and faculty at Wesleyan vote to join the nationwide student strike in protest to the escalation of the war, the deaths of student protestors, the trial of Bobby Seale and other issues.