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===1970===
===1970===
*February – The WUO closes the SDS National Office in Chicago, concluding the major campus-based organization of the 1960s. The first contingent of the VB returns from Cuba and the second contingent departs. By mid-February the bulk of the leading WUO members go underground.
*February – The WUO closes the SDS National Office in Chicago, concluding the major campus-based organization of the 1960s. The first contingent of the VB returns from Cuba and the second contingent departs. By mid-February the bulk of the leading WUO members go underground.

*February 13 - Several police vehicles of the [[Berkeley, California]], Police Department are bombed in the police parking lot; six officers are injured. Dynamite fragments match a WUO purchase of dynamite from a Boulder, CO. dealer. <ref>{{cite book |title = The Weather Underground. |last= |first= |authorlink= United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on the Judiciary. Subcommittee to Investigate the Administration of the Internal Security Act and Other Internal Security Laws of the Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate, Ninety-fourth Congress, First Session (1975). |year= 1975|publisher= US Government Printing Office |location= Washington DC |page= 29 |pages= |url= http://www.archive.org/details/statedepartmentb00unit |accessdate= December 20th, 2009}}</ref>


*February 16: A bomb is detonated at the [[Golden Gate Park]] branch of the [[San Francisco]] Police Department, killing one officer and injuring a number of other policemen (one seriously). No organization claims credit for either bombing. ''(See [[San Francisco Police Department Park Station bombing]].)'' Dynamite fragments match a WUO purchase of dynamite from a Boulder, CO. dealer. <ref>{{cite book |title = The Weather Underground. |last= |first= |authorlink= United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on the Judiciary. Subcommittee to Investigate the Administration of the Internal Security Act and Other Internal Security Laws of the Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate, Ninety-fourth Congress, First Session (1975). |year= 1975|publisher= US Government Printing Office |location= Washington DC |page= 34 |pages= |url= http://www.archive.org/details/statedepartmentb00unit |accessdate= December 20th, 2009}}</ref>
*February 16: A bomb is detonated at the [[Golden Gate Park]] branch of the [[San Francisco]] Police Department, killing one officer and injuring a number of other policemen (one seriously). No organization claims credit for either bombing. ''(See [[San Francisco Police Department Park Station bombing]].)'' Dynamite fragments match a WUO purchase of dynamite from a Boulder, CO. dealer. <ref>{{cite book |title = The Weather Underground. |last= |first= |authorlink= United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on the Judiciary. Subcommittee to Investigate the Administration of the Internal Security Act and Other Internal Security Laws of the Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate, Ninety-fourth Congress, First Session (1975). |year= 1975|publisher= US Government Printing Office |location= Washington DC |page= 34 |pages= |url= http://www.archive.org/details/statedepartmentb00unit |accessdate= December 20th, 2009}}</ref>

Revision as of 05:08, 29 December 2009

Main article: Weatherman (organization)

Weatherman, also known as Weathermen and later Weather Underground Organization, was an American militant organization that carried out a series of bombings, jailbreaks, and riots from 1969 through the 1970s.

Following is a list of the organization's various activities and incidents.

Incidents

1969

  • June 18-22 – Students for a Democratic Society SDS National Convention held in Chicago, Illinois. Publication of "Weatherman" founding statement. Members seize control of SDS National Office.[1][2]
  • September 3 – Female members converge on South Hills High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where they run through the school shouting anti-war slogans and distributing literature promoting the “National Action.” The term "Pittsburgh 26" refers to the 26 women arrested in connection with this incident.[2]
  • September 24 – A group of members confront Chicago Police during a demonstration supporting the "National Action," and protesting the commencement of the Chicago Eight trial stemming from the 1968 Democratic National Convention.[6]
  • October 5 – The Haymarket Police Statue in Chicago is bombed; Weathermen later claim credit for the bombing in their book, Prairie Fire.[6]
  • October 8-11 – The "Days of Rage" riots occur in Chicago, damaging a large amount of property. 287 Weatherman members are arrested, some become fugitives when they fail to appear for trial in connection with their arrests.[2][6]
  • November 8th - Sniper attack on Cambridge Police Station, two shoots were fired and two Weathermen James Kilpatrick and James Reaves were indicted and then subsequently released when a witness recanted his testimony.[7]
  • December 6 – Bombing of several Chicago police cars parked in a precinct parking lot at 3600 North Halsted Street, Chicago. The WUO claims responsibility in Prairie Fire, stating it is a protest of the fatal police shooting of Illinois Black Panther Party leaders Fred Hampton and Mark Clark on December 4, 1969.
  • December 27-30 – Weathermen hold a "War Council" in Flint, Michigan, where plans are finalized to change into an underground organization that will commit strategic acts of sabotage against the government. Thereafter they are called "Weather Underground Organization" (WUO).[2][8]

1970

  • February – The WUO closes the SDS National Office in Chicago, concluding the major campus-based organization of the 1960s. The first contingent of the VB returns from Cuba and the second contingent departs. By mid-February the bulk of the leading WUO members go underground.
  • On February 21, the house of Judge Murtagh, who presides over the Panther 21 trial, is fire-bombed by a WUO cell in New York City.[2][10] The same night, molotov cocktails were thrown at a police car in Manhattan and two military recruiting stations in Brooklyn.[11]
  • March – Warrants are issued for several WUO members, who become federal fugitives when they fail to appear for trial in Chicago.
  • March 6 – A bomb of Thirty-four sticks of dynamite are discovered in the 13th Police District of Detroit, Michigan. A second bomb made of 10 sticks was found in a Police Association building. Both bombs were discovered before they exploded. There were no warnings. During February and early March, 1970, members of WUO, led by Bill Ayers, are reported to be in Detroit, for the purpose of bombing a police facility.[citation needed] These sticks of dynamite were tracked to a Boulder, CO dealer and their purchase by Weathermen.[12]
  • March 30 – Chicago police discover a WUO "bomb factory" on Chicago’s north side.
  • April 1 - Based on a tip Chicago Police find 59 sticks of dynamite, ammunition, and nitro glyerine in an apartment traced to WUO members.[13] The discover of the WUO weapons cache ends WUO activity in this city.
  • April 2 - A federal grand jury in Chicago returns a number of indictments charging WUO members with violation of federal anti-riot laws.[8] Also, a number of additional federal warrants charging "unlawful flight to avoid prosecution" are returned in Chicago based on the failure of WUO members to appear for trial in local cases. (The Anti-riot Law charges were later dropped in January, 1974.)
  • June 9 - The New York City Police headquarters is bombed by Jane Alpert and accomplices. Weathermen state this is in response to "police repression."[14][15] The bomb made with ten sticks of dynamite exploded in the NYC Police Headquarters. The explosion was preceded by a warning about six minutes prior to the detonation and subsequently by a WUO claim of responsibility.[16]
  • July 23 – A federal grand jury in Detroit, Michigan, returns indictments against thirteen WUO members and former WUO members charging violations of various explosives and firearms laws.[14][15] (These indictments were later dropped in October, 1973.)
  • October 10 - A Queens traffic-court building is bombed. WUO claims this is to express support for the New York prison riots. [NYT, 10/10/70, p. 12]
  • December 5th - Five Weatherman are captured for trying to bomb First National City Bank of NY and other buildings on the anniversary of the death of Fred Hampton. These individuals subsequently plead guilty.[20]
  • December 11th - Vivian Bogart and Patricia Mclean from the WUO are arrested after throwing an incendiary bomb at the Royal National Bank in NYC around 1:30 AM.[21]
  • December 16 - Fugitive WUO member Judith Alice Clark is arrested on the Days of Rage indictments by the FBI in New York.[19]

1971

  • April – FBI agents discover what is dubbed "Pine Street Bomb Factory", an abandoned apartment utilized by WUO in San Francisco, California.
  • October 15 - The bombing of William Bundy's office in the MIT research center. [NYT, 10/16/71]

1972

  • May 19 - Bombing of The Pentagon, "in retaliation for the U.S. bombing raid in Hanoi." [NYT, 5/19/72][23]

1973

  • May 18 - The bombing of the 103rd Police Precinct in New York. WUO states this is in response to the killing of 10-year-old black youth Clifford Glover by police.[24][note 2]
  • September 19 – A WUO member is arrested by the FBI in New York. Released on bond, this member again submerges into the underground.
  • September 28 - The ITT headquarters in New York and Rome, Italy are bombed. WUO states this is in response to ITT's alleged role in the Chilean coup earlier that month. [NYT, 9/28/73]
  • Around October, 1973 the Government requested dropping charges against most of the WUO members. The requests cited a recent decision by the Supreme Court that barred electronic surveillance without a court order. This decision could hamper prosecution of the WUO cases.[25]

1974

  • June 17 - Gulf Oil's Pittsburgh headquarters is bombed. WUO states this is to protest the company's actions in Angola, Vietnam, and elsewhere.
  • July – The WUO releases the book Prairie Fire, in which they indicate the need for a unified Communist Party. They encourage the creation of study groups to discuss their ideology, and continue to stress the need for violent acts. The book also admits WUO responsibility of several actions from previous years. The Prairie Fire Organizing Committee (PFOC) arises from the teachings in this book and is organized by many former WUO members.

1975

  • January 29 - Bombing of the State Department; WUO states this is in response to escalation in Vietnam. (AP. "State Department Rattled by Blast," The Daily Times-News, January 29, 1975, p. 1)[27]
  • Spring - WUO publishes "Politics in Command," which is its new political-military strategy. It furthers the line of building a legal, above-ground organization and begins to minimize the armed struggle role.[27]
  • March – The WUO releases its first edition of a new magazine entitled Osawatomie.[28]
  • June 16 - Weathermen bomb a Banco de Ponce (a Puerto Rican bank) in New York, WUO states this is in solidarity with striking Puerto Rican cement workers.[27][28]
  • July 11-13 – The Prairie Fire Organizing Committee (PFOC) holds its first national convention during which time they go through the formality of creating a new organization.[28]
  • September – Bombing of the Kennecott Corporation; WUO states this is in retribution for Kennecott's alleged involvement in the Chilean coup two years prior.[28][29]

1976

  • 1976-1978 the Weather Underground slowly disbands, many members turning themselves in after taking advantage of the Federal Government dropping most charges in 1973 (illegal wiretaps and sources & methods issues) and of President Jimmy Carter’s amnesty for draft dodgers.

1977

  • February - The first issue of Prairie Fire Organizing Committee's magazine, Breakthrough, is published.[30]
  • Spring - The John Brown Book Club compiles articles critical of the old WUO leadership and subsequent split in a pamphlet entitled: The Split of the Weather Underground Organization: Struggling against White and Male Supremacy.[30]
  • November - Five WUO members are arrested on conspiracy to bomb California State Senator, John Brigg's offices. It is later revealed that the Revolutionary Committee and PFOC had been infiltrated, and the arrests were the results of the infiltration. From this point on, the Weather Underground Organization ceases to exist.[30]

1980

  • July - Former WUO member, Cathy Wilkerson surfaces in New York City and is charged with possession of explosives arising from the 1970 townhouse explosion. She is sentenced to 3 years in prison.[31]
  • December 3 - Bernadine Dohrn and Bill Ayers turn themselves in. Charges against Ayers are dropped. Dohrn is placed on probation after it has been discovered that the FBI were planning on kidnapping her nephew, amongst other controversial schemes.[32]

1981

  • October 20 - Brinks robbery in which WUO members Kathy Boudin, Sam Brown, Judy Clark and David Gilbert and the Black Liberation Army stole over $1.6 million from a Brinks armored car at the Nanuet Mall, near Nyack, New York on October 20, 1981. The robbers were stopped by police later that day and engaged them in a shootout, killing two police officers and one Brinks guard[32] as well as wounding several others.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ On August 7, 1970, Jackson, Christmas and McClain, who were known as black freedom fighters, were shot dead outside the Marin County Courthouse by San Quentin guards after the men took hostages. Their goal was to use the hostages to take over a radio station and broadcast about the racist, murderous conditions at the prison. Read more about what happened here. The incident is also referred to as Black August.
  2. ^ Audre Lorde wrote a poem entitled, "Power" which was inspired by Clifford Glover. Read the poem here., 1983

References

  1. ^ Caplan
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Gilbert 31
  3. ^ Wittman
  4. ^ FBI Surveillence Files 97, 107
  5. ^ FBI Surveillence Files 97
  6. ^ a b c Berger 325
  7. ^ The Weather Underground. Washington DC: US Government Printing Office. 1975. p. 18-19. Retrieved December 20th, 2009. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  8. ^ a b c d Berger 326
  9. ^ The Weather Underground. Washington DC: US Government Printing Office. 1975. p. 34. Retrieved December 20th, 2009. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  10. ^ Murtagh, John M. Fire in the Night, City Journal, April 30, 2008
  11. ^ "Justice Murtagh's Home Target of 3 Fire Bombs". The New York Times. February 22, 1970. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  12. ^ The Weather Underground. Washington DC: US Government Printing Office. 1975. p. 29. Retrieved December 20th, 2009. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  13. ^ The Weather Underground. Washington DC: US Government Printing Office. 1975. pp. 25–26. Retrieved December 20th, 2009. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  14. ^ a b c d e Berger 327
  15. ^ a b c d Gilbert 32
  16. ^ The Weather Underground. Washington DC: US Government Printing Office. 1975. pp. 31–32. Retrieved December 20th, 2009. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  17. ^ The Weather Underground. Washington DC: US Government Printing Office. 1975. pp. 32–33. Retrieved December 20th, 2009. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  18. ^ a b Berger 328
  19. ^ a b c d e f Gilbert 33
  20. ^ The Weather Underground. Washington DC: US Government Printing Office. 1975. pp. 36–37. Retrieved December 20th, 2009. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  21. ^ The Weather Underground. Washington DC: US Government Printing Office. 1975. pp. 36–37. Retrieved December 20th, 2009. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  22. ^ Berger 329
  23. ^ a b Berger 330
  24. ^ Berger 331
  25. ^ The Weather Underground. Washington DC: US Government Printing Office. 1975. pp. 40, 65–65, 111–112. Retrieved December 20th, 2009. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  26. ^ Berger 332
  27. ^ a b c d Gilbert 37
  28. ^ a b c d Berger 333
  29. ^ Albert
  30. ^ a b c Gilbert 38
  31. ^ Gilbert 39
  32. ^ a b Berger 335

Bibliography

  • Albert, Michael. "Discussion on Radical Strategy, Sabotage, and the Weathermen."

Retrieved from http://www.spunk.org/texts/misc/sp000209.txt

  • Berger, Dan, Outlaws of America: The Weather Underground and the Politics of Solidarity, AK Press, (November 1, 2005), trade paperback, 450 pages, ISBN 1904859410 ISBN 978-1904859413
  • Kathy Caplan. "Thompson Rejects SDS Rejection". Daily Collegian.
  • Gilbert, David, Students For a Democratic Society and the Weather Underground Organization, (Abraham Guillen Press: Canada, 2002), paperback 40 pages, ISBN 1894925157 ISBN 978-1894925150
  • Juliet Wittman (2004-11-21). "Memoirs:Radical parents, Red shoes and a poet up close and personal". Washington Post.
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